KJU’s last observed appearance was his inspection of Mahap Islet
DPRK state media reported November 13 (Sunday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) inspected Korean People’s Army [KPA] units on Kali (Kal-to) and Jangjae [Changchae] Islets in West [Yellow] Sea. Also in attendance were KPA General Political Department Director and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman VMar Hwang Pyong So [Hwang Pyo’ng-so], Director of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau and 1st Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff Colonel-General Ri Yong Gil [Ri Yo’ng-kil], KPA Artillery Bureau Director and Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff Major-General Pak Jong Chon [Pak Cho’ng-cho’n], IV Army Corps Commanding Officer Lieutenant-General Ri Song Guk [Ri So’ng-kuk] and IV Army Corps Political Commissar Major-General Ri Yong Chol [Ri Yo’ng-ch’o’l].
Kim Jong Un’s first stop was Kali Islet. Jong Un, Colonel-General Ri, Lieutenant-General Ri, along with three of Jong Un’s bodyguards, rode in a raft “on the southernmost tip of the western sector of the front by sailing up there despite high waves from where the base of the south Korean puppet forces on Yo’np’yo’ng Island was in sight.” The Kali Islet “outpost newly set up thanks to his far-sighted wisdom and operational plan has turned into a powerful firepower strike base…capable of frustrating frequent risky military provocations of the enemy in the waters of the West Sea, firmly defending the inviolable territorial waters of the country and opening fire to wipe out the enemy the moment they perpetrate even a slight reckless provocation.”
Jong Un toured the barracks, mess hall, greenhouse and classrooms and issued “important instructions to improve the standard of the living of the soldiers on the islet and took benevolent steps for doing so.” He was briefed about the unit’s equipment and force deployment as well as the “the performance of the naval guard duty of the units under the 4th Corps at the front.” Kim Jong Un approved the combat planning for “firepower strike at Yo’np’yo’ng Island” and indicated “important tasks for rounding off combat preparations and increasing combat capability of the outpost.” He expressed his “expectation and belief that the commanding officers and soldiers of the outpost would devotedly defend their post in the West Sea on the southernmost tip of the southwestern sector of the front of the socialist country.”
Kim Jong Un moved onto Jangjae Islet. After greeting the detachment’s command, he greeted members of the KPA service members stationed on Jangjae Islet. Jong Un toured the barracks, classrooms, washroom, mess and the defense detachment’s farms. He “showed profound loving to be conveyed to posterity” when being briefed about the detachment’s supply service. He said that the “confrontation with the enemy is the one of fire and, at the same time, a stand-off in idea and faith. The soldiers of the the defense detachment should be provided with lots of ideological pabulum, if they are prepared to be the strongest in mental power who do not abandon their revolutionary faith even though they may die, defenders of socialism standing guard over the first line of the class struggle and the stalwart fighters for national reunification.” Jong Un reiterated “the need to train the soldiers to be fighters with versatile knowledge and cultural entertainments” and was “very satisfied with Jangjae Islet clad in thick verdure.”
He ascended an observation post and was given a report “on the performance of the combat duty by the defense detachment.” He was also briefed about the “current combat preparations of weapons and combat and technical equipment.” He toured artillery positions and issued instructions for rounding off its combat preparations” whilst noting the detachment “has a very important duty to perform.” Jong Un presented ceremonial binoculars and an automatic rifle to the detachment on Jangjae Islet, then attended a commemorative photo-op and greeted KPA service members, officers and their families.