--- title: "Kim Jong Un Orders North Korean Army to Maximize Combat Readiness Amid US Concerns" description: "On October 27, Kim Jong Un ordered KPA company commanders to bring combat training to full war readiness. On the same day, the U.S. 8th Army commander expressed concern over North Korean soldiers' combat experience." date: 2026-10-28T11:16:38.286Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kim-jong-un-orders-north-korean-army-combat-readiness tags: [north-korea, kim-jong-un, dmz, us-military, korean-peninsula] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kim Jong Un Orders North Korean Army to Maximize Combat Readiness Amid US Concerns ![Kim Jong Un and military leaders at KPA meeting](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/kim-chon-in-prikazal-armii-kndr-podgotovit-sya-k-boevym-deystviyam/kim-chon-in-prikazal-armii-kndr-podgotovit-sya-k-boevym-deystviyam-1.webp) ## Key Points - Kim Jong Un at the Third KPA Company Commanders Conference demanded bringing units' combat training to full war readiness - The statements followed the September 21 DMZ explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers - U.S. 8th Army Commander Joseph Hilbert expressed concern over North Korean soldiers accumulating combat experience On October 27, 2026, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un demanded that army company commanders bring the combat training of their subordinate units to the level of full war readiness. The statement was made during a photo session with participants of the Third Conference of Company Commanders of the Korean People's Army (KPA), as reported by North Korea's state news agency KCNA. ### Order for "Radical Improvement" of Training According to the text quoted by the agency, the "main revolutionary task of company commanders" is to bring combat training to such a level that units are fully prepared for combat operations, and the path to this lies through a "radical improvement of tense and intensive combat training." The North Korean leader also urged commanders to demonstrate loyalty to the Workers' Party of Korea and create "highly effective combat companies," guided by a patriotic spirit and an "unyielding will to fight." The event was attended by top military officials, including Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Pak Jong Chon, Defense Minister Kim Sung Gi, and KPA Chief of General Staff Ri Yong Gil. ### Context: Demilitarized Zone Incident The statements came amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On September 21, an explosion occurred in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea, injuring three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused Pyongyang of involvement in the incident and offered to resume military contacts for de-escalation; North Korea denies the accusations and, according to reports, has not yet responded to the dialogue proposal. Both sides have submitted documents outlining their positions on the incident to the UN Security Council. ### Washington's Concerns On the same day, October 27, the commander of the 8th U.S. Army in South Korea, Lieutenant General Joseph E. Hilbert, at a press conference in Washington, expressed concern that North Korean military personnel are gaining modern combat experience through the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. According to him, returning soldiers bring back experience in using advanced technologies—small unmanned aerial vehicles and robots, which, according to the U.S. command, are changing combat methods. Earlier, Xavier Brunson, Hilbert's predecessor as commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, also expressed concern over the progress of North Korea's combat capabilities. ### Assessment The combination of a public order for maximum combat readiness and statements by the U.S. command about the growing combat experience of North Korean units indicates that both sides perceive the Korean Peninsula as a zone of increasing military risk. At the same time, Pyongyang has neither officially confirmed nor denied the participation of its troops in foreign conflicts, while Seoul and Washington continue to insist that the accumulated experience strengthens North Korea's military potential. ## Accounts differ ### North Korea's involvement in the September 21 DMZ explosion - **South Korea (Seoul):** Seoul accused Pyongyang of involvement in the incident and offered to resume military contacts to de-escalate tensions. ([vietnam.vn](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/chu-tich-trieu-tien-yeu-cau-quan-doi-chuan-bi-day-du-cho-xung-dot-my-lo-ngai)) - **North Korea (Pyongyang):** North Korea denies the accusation of involvement and has not yet responded to the dialogue proposal. ([vietnam.vn](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/chu-tich-trieu-tien-yeu-cau-quan-doi-chuan-bi-day-du-cho-xung-dot-my-lo-ngai)) *Where they agree:* The explosion in the Demilitarized Zone on September 21, which injured three South Korean soldiers, took place; both sides presented their positions to the UN Security Council. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Лидер Северной Кореи приказал полностью подготовить армию к конфликту, США выразили обеспокоенность.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/chu-tich-trieu-tien-yeu-cau-quan-doi-chuan-bi-day-du-cho-xung-dot-my-lo-ngai) - Primary source: Kim Jong Un's statement on 10/27/2026 according to KCNA, DMZ incident on 09/21, General Hilbert's concerns according to Axios. - [Ким Чен Ын требует проведения интенсивных учений армии Северной Кореи для подготовки к войне](https://www.5.ua/ru/myr/kym-chen-in-trebuet-provedenyia-yntensyvnikh-uchenyi-armyy-severnoi-korey-dlia-podhotovky-k-voine-385401.html) - Confirms the order to company commanders, KCNA quote, and presence of Pak Jong Chon, Kim Sung Gi, Ri Yong Gil; mentions meetings on October 22–23. - [Ким Чен Ын приказал усилить войска на границе с Южной Кореей](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/05/18/8035111/) - Early context (May 2026) regarding strengthening frontline units on the border with South Korea; not a fact from October 27, 2026. ## FAQ ### What specifically did Kim Jong Un order army company commanders to do? According to KCNA, he demanded bringing units' combat training to the level of full war readiness through a "radical improvement of tense and intensive combat training" and creating "highly effective combat companies". ### When and where was the statement made? On October 27, 2026, during a photo session with participants of the Third Conference of Company Commanders of the Korean People's Army. ### What DMZ incident is mentioned in context? The explosion on September 21, 2026, in the Demilitarized Zone, which injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused Pyongyang of involvement; North Korea denies the accusations. ### Why are the US expressing concern? U.S. 8th Army Commander Joseph Hilbert stated that North Korean military personnel are accumulating modern combat experience, including the use of small UAVs and robots, which he assesses as increasing North Korea's military capabilities.