North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw a large-scale artillery firing exercise conducted by Korean People’s Army (KPA) sub-units in the country’s western region on 15 April, coinciding with the Day of the Sun — the most significant national holiday in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), marking the birth anniversary of founding leader Kim Il-sung.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), participating units “powerfully demonstrated their militant marksmanship” and “full war posture” under simulated combat conditions. The Capital City Defence Corps distinguished itself above all other competing formations, claiming first place in the exercise.
Kim Jong-un expressed clear satisfaction with the results of the drill, describing the event as “an important occasion in enhancing the training enthusiasm” of KPA forces and in consolidating the country’s overall combat readiness. The exercise was framed not merely as a military demonstration but as a politically significant affirmation of national defence capability on one of the DPRK’s most symbolically charged dates.
In remarks delivered to assembled commanders and troops, Kim underscored the strategic primacy of artillery within the KPA’s operational doctrine, declaring that artillery forces constitute “the most important factor deciding the victory in operation and battle and furthermore in war.” He called for the continued modernisation of artillery capabilities and intensified training in strict accordance with the ruling Korean Workers’ Party’s military policy.
The exercise reflects Pyongyang’s consistent emphasis on conventional military preparedness alongside its well-documented strategic weapons programmes. Conducting such a high-profile drill on the Day of the Sun carries both domestic and international significance, reinforcing the leadership’s message of unwavering military resolve and institutional continuity.
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