North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has demanded that the command of the Korean People's Army (KPA) intensify military drills and raise the combat readiness of units. He formulated this demand during a photo session with participants of the third meeting of KPA company commanders, calling the task the «main revolutionary task» for the lower-tier command staff.
«The Main Revolutionary Task»
«The main revolutionary task of company commanders is to complete the combat training of their units for full readiness to wage war, and the path to its implementation is to radically improve intense and rigorous training», Kim Jong Un stated while addressing the commanders. According to him, the prospects for building a strong army, which he characterized as «extremely bright», depend precisely on the work of this tier.
Context of the Pyongyang Meeting
The third meeting of KPA company commanders was held on October 22–23 in Pyongyang, chaired by Kim Jong Un. During the event, the North Korean leader urged the military to «build the strongest army and accelerate the military revolution in the Korean style by training the strongest companies». According to reports, this gathering became the first all-army event of such a level since the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea held in February.
Ideological Course of the Army
In addition to combat training requirements, Kim Jong Un instructed commanders to «firmly promote the true nature of our army as the Party's army, an army of ideology and core elements». Thus, the emphasis is placed not only on the tactical and technical side of training, but also on the ideological component, which Pyongyang traditionally views as the basis of troop loyalty.
Military-Political Background
The call to strengthen combat readiness came against the backdrop of recent demonstrative moves by North Korea: it was reported that the North Korean side deployed howitzers near the border with the Republic of Korea. Earlier, Kim Jong Un also publicly demonstrated a ballistic missile which, according to Pyongyang's claims, is capable of reaching US territory. The combination of these steps indicates Pyongyang's consistent line on building up and publicly demonstrating its military potential.
Assessment of Dynamics
The phrasing «full readiness to wage war» and the demand to «radically» increase training intensity mark an escalation in the tone of North Korea's military statements. For observers, the key question remains whether the course toward «accelerating the military revolution» will lead to a further buildup of exercises and weapons demonstrations in the coming months, as well as what changes in Pyongyang's behavior on the inter-Korean track this will bring.
