North Korean leader directs military to ‘intensify’ training, prepare for ‘modern warfare’

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country's army needs to "intensify" its military training while also preparing for "modern warfare."

During his inspection of Kang Kon Military Academy on Tuesday, he identified "important tasks" in front of military education, including "intensifying" it with a focus on practical experience, according to state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“Preparing all students to be reliable military personnel of field-officer type who win only sure victory by making them learn about the actual experiences of modern warfare in the Korean style and master the rapidly advanced weapons and combat and technical equipment and acquire the commanding ability corresponding to modern warfare,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

The North Korean leader also said military education should “surely instill resolute revolutionary consciousness” before the actual military education.

“After learning in detail about the military educational state of the academy, he referred to the problems that the management and operation of educational facilities and the educational environment are not meeting the policy-oriented requirements for building a powerful army by the WPK (Workers' Party of Korea) aspiring after modernity and advanced character.”

He added that the party committee of the People's Army and the policy-oriented guidance departments of the military education institutions have not fully fulfilled their responsibilities and roles, stressing that the “present international situation” requires the North Korean army to “perfectly cope with a war.”

North Korea vowed last Tuesday to bolster its nuclear force and condemned a statement on its "complete denuclearization" and said the country’s nuclear program is for its self-defense, defending its peace and sovereignty.