Images in official media showed Kim Jong Un speaking to a room full of uniformed senior generals and pointing to maps.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has reportedly fired his top general and urged for ratcheting up war preparations "in an offensive way," including increasing weapon manufacturing and doing more drills, according to state media on Thursday.
Images in state media showed Kim discussing "major military actions" against South Korea while smoking a cigarette in front of a roomful of uniformed senior generals and pointing at maps. This was done during a meeting of the Central Military Commission.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that "the issue of making full war preparations" and guaranteeing "perfect military readiness for a war" were on the agenda of the summit, which took place only days after Kim toured important armaments factories.
The meeting takes place as Seoul and Washington get ready for massive joint exercises later this month, which the North considers as invasion maneuvers and has repeatedly warned may spark "overwhelming" measures in reaction.
Vice Marshal Ri Yong Gil was appointed to replace Chief of General Staff Pak Su Il after Kim removed Pak Su Il at the meeting, according to KCNA without providing any other information.
Pak, who was appointed to the position late last year after receiving a promotion, could have been fired "because he did not demonstrate sufficient competence in the field of military operations," said Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute.
"Kim Jong Un has shown a tendency to replace officials quickly when they are judged to be lacking in the ability to control and perform their duties," the author claimed.
Given that Pak had previously held the job for a considerable amount of time, Ri may have been the "most suitable person" to succeed him, Cheong continued.
According to the report, Kim demanded that "all munitions industrial establishments push ahead with the mass-production of various weapons and equipment."
To effectively operate the most modern weaponry and equipment that had just been sent, "he also called for actively conducting actual war drills," it was noted.
Kim came to an "important conclusion on further stepping up the war preparations of the KPA in an offensive way," according to KCNA, referring to the North's military.
The most recent KCNA story seemed to be North Korea's "own response to the upcoming joint military training between Seoul and Washington," a representative from Seoul's unification ministry told reporters.
He stated, referring to images published by the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, that Kim looked to be pointing at a map of Seoul and said, "I think he wanted to send a message to the South with a threatening action."
The 75th anniversary of North Korea's foundation will be celebrated on September 9 with a sizable parade, which was another topic of discussion at the summit.
Analysts dubbed Pyongyang's celebration of the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War "the largest, most overt North Korean display of nuclear-capable systems" last month.
Along with the parade, North Korea staged a sizable defence exhibition, where Kim showed the visiting Russian defence minister some of the nation's most cutting-edge weapons, including as ballistic missiles and spy drones.
Source:
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-dismisses-military-chief-calls-for-war-preparations/article67180433.ece