North Korean leader Kim inspects tank unit, calls for boost to combat readiness

SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a tank unit that once invaded Seoul during the Korean War, state media reported on March 25, as he called for ever greater preparations for combat.

Inter-Korea relations are at one of their lowest points in years, with Mr Kim’s military recently conducting a string of banned weapons tests, including launching a ballistic missile and

staging a ground test of a “new type” of hypersonic missile engine.

Mr Kim visited the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105th Tank Division on March 24, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, with images showing him apparently reviewing South Korean attack plans.

“The division... was the first to charge into Seoul and fly the flag of the DPRK on the puppet capitol building,” KCNA said, referring to the North by its official name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The tank unit “performed distinguished feats in many battles during the past Fatherland Liberation War”, KCNA said, referring to the 1950 to 1953 Korean War which ended with an armistice, and not a peace treaty, meaning the two countries remain technically at war.

Mr Kim oversaw the unit’s drill and expressed “great satisfaction” that the tank crews were well-prepared and showed “strong will to annihilate the enemy”, KCNA reported.

He also called for more “ideological education” to help soldiers continue their good work “rounding off war preparations and beefing up combat capability”.

Food shortages are reportedly widespread in the nuclear-armed North, and Mr Kim visited the unit’s cafeteria and oversaw the soldiers’ meal.

Mr Kim said supervisors should “always pay deep attention to further improving the service persons’ diet” to “ensure the regular supply of meat, vegetables and various other subsidiary foodstuffs in good time”.

The nuclear-armed North has declared

South Korea its “principal enemy”

, jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001mm” of territorial infringement.

Seoul is one of Washington’s key regional allies, and the United States stations about 27,000 American soldiers in South Korea to help protect it against Pyong­yang.

North Korea in March warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a “dear price” over their recent joint military exercises, and later announced that

Mr Kim had guided an artillery unit

it said was capable of striking the South Korean capital. AFP