Kim Jong Un Commands and Observes Landing and Anti-Landing Drills

Kim Jong Un observes KPA artillery units participating in an anti-landing drill (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his visit to the development of Ryomyo’ng Street in Pyongyang

DPRK state media reported on March 20 (Sunday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) observed and commanded landing and anti-landing drill by the the East Sea Fleet of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] Navy, the 2nd Air Division of the KPA Air and Anti-Air Forces, VII Army Corps’ artillery subunits and elements of the 108th Mechanized Division (Motorized Infantry Division).  Also in attendance were VMar Hwang Pyong So (Director of the KPA General Political Department), General Pak Yong Sik (Minister of the People’s Armed Forces), General Ri Myong Su (Chief of the KPA General Staff), Lieutenant-General Rim Kwang Il (Director of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau and 1st Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff), General Choe Yong Ho (Commander of the KPA Air and Anti-Air Forces), Vice Admiral Ri Yong Chu (Commander of the KPA Navy), Lieutenant-General Yun Yong Sik (head of the KPA Artillery Command), Colonel-General Yun Tong Hyon (Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces), General Jo Kyong Chol (Director of the Military Security Command) and other KPA command staff.  Observing the drill were KPA corps commanders and faculty of the DPRK’s military academies.

Kim Jong Un is briefed about a landing and anti-landing drill. Also in attendance is Chief of the KPA General Staff General Ri Myong Su (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

(Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Following the landing drill, Jong Un said “with pleasure that such surprise landing and attack on the coast would result in a victorious battle” while after the anti-landing drill, Jong Un remarked that “artillerymen are very skilled in shooting…any enemy group wil never land on the seashore of the country as our reliable artillerymen stand guard in full readiness to wipe out the aggressors.”

Kim Jong Un attending the landing and anti-landing drill. Also in attendance (L-R) are: Chief of the KPA General Staff General Ri Myong Su; Director of the Mlitary Security Command General Jo Kyong Chol (partially obscured) and head of the KPA Artillery Command Lieutenant-General Yun Yong Sik (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

(Photos: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

Kim Jong Un expressed “great satisfaction over the successful drills and set forth the tasks for rounding off the KPA’s combat readiness under the prevailing situation.  The victory of an amphibious battle depends mainly on how to neutralize the enemy’s possible anti-landing movements while getting over its coastal defenses at one go.”  He “stressed the need to elaborate on the workable combat operations in this regard and ratchet up the practical drills for getting familiar with them and improve the armament on the navy’s surface ships.”  Jong Un said that “in order to bury at sea any enemy groups attacking to land in the coast of the country, training should be intensified among the units and subunits of the KPA as required by the Chuch’e-based idea and tactics on the coastal defense newly set forth by the Party.”