NKorea: Kim Calls for Increased War Readiness

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • North Korean Pres. Kim Jong Un visited a military operations base in western North Korea on Wednesday and reportedly called for greater war readiness and capabilities amid intensifying defense drills between the US and South Korea.1
  • The North Korean leader said the military must 'steadily intensify the actual war drills' for 'perfect war preparedness,' according to the state’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).2
  • KCNA reported Kim’s comments Thursday and televised images of him inspecting the military base and meeting with troops. The North’s military was training by simulating actual war, with Kim calling for it to 'dynamically usher in a new heyday of intensifying the war preparations.”3
  • Kim was accompanied by Pak Jong Chon, a key official in his Workers’ Party of Korea. They met with the DPRK’s National Defense minister, Kang Sun Nam. and the army’s (KPA) chief of General Staff, Ri Yong Gil.4
  • Kim said increased military preparedness is needed to 'contain the constant threat of the enemies with overwhelming force.' He has consistently called for increased defense capabilities in response to what he calls provocation from the US and South Korean militaries.5
  • In the last three months, the North Korean leader has made 11 military-related visits, dramatically increasing his appearances compared to the previous three years.6

Sources: 1Al Jazeera, 2NBC, 3Reuters.com, 4The Daily Messenger, 5Associated Press and 6Nikkei Asia.

Narratives

  • Pro-North Korea narrative, as provided by KCNA Watch. Kim is taking initiatives to bolster defense against hostile adversaries because he has no choice. He has repeatedly called for the US and South Korea to tamp down their aggressive military exercises to no avail — and their leaders even have the nerve to call North Korea the aggressors. As long as the US and South Korea are saber-rattling, Kim will make sure North Korea is as prepared as possible.
  • Anti-North Korea Narrative, as provided by Vision of Humanity. Kim's aggressive actions and words are pushing for war between North Korea and the US. Pyongyang has celebrated its development of a nuclear weapons program and has conducted many missile tests in close proximity to South Korea. Now Kim's military is conducting “actual war drills” while claiming he's just worried about self-defense. The US and South Korea have had to bolster their militaries just in case Kim crosses the line.