WPK Central Military Commission Meeting Held

An enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea took place under the guidance of supreme leader Kim Jong Un, First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission, First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army,.

The meeting drew members of the WPK Central Military Commission, members of the executive committee of the KPA Party Committee, commanding officers of departments of the General Political Bureau, the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces, the General Staff, services and corps-level units and military schools at all levels, leading officials of state and people’s security organs, the WPK Central Committee, the Cabinet and the diplomatic sector and chief secretaries of provincial Party committees.

It analysed and reviewed the drastic measures the WPK and the government adopted in the extreme circumstances of situation that teetered on the brink of war and the success, experience and lessons obtained in the process of implementing them and, on the basis of this, discussed crucial strategic tasks to be tackled in further boosting the country’s defence capabilities.

It also dealt with steps to be taken to rehabilitate flood-stricken Rason City, discharged and appointed some members of the Party Central Military Commission and handled organizational matters.

At the meeting the supreme leader gave a full account of the recent crisis and made an analysis and assessment of the process of preparations for military operations by frontline units in a state of war, the work of all sectors in the area in a semi-state of war and a high-level emergency contact between the north and the south.

Under the touch-and-go situation, he said, the Party had provided correct leadership for the whole country, all the people and the entire army, and put forward resolute decisions and strategic policies to break the deadlock.

Everyone turned out as human bullet and bomb to defend the revolution and the front, rear, service members and people courageously rose up as one in the defence of the country, he noted, adding such might of nationwide, all-people unity has virtually no parallel in history and we safeguarded the dignity and sovereignty of the country, the gains of the revolution and the happiness of the people by ourselves in the gust of history without any aid or sympathy.

We initiated the inter-Korean high-level emergency contact and tided over the hair-trigger crisis that had dashed toward armed conflict, thereby pushing away the dark clouds of war hovering over the nation and protecting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and the region, he said.

The issuing of the joint press release at the emergency contact marked a momentous turn that eased the acute military tension and led north-south relations in the face of ruin to the road of reconciliation and trust, he stressed.

Describing the result of the contact as a triumph of the idea that cares for the destiny of the nation and value peace, he referred to the need to treasure and fructify the agreement that was reached in the contact that turned adversity into favourable condition at the critical juncture.

The sovereignty and fundamental interests of the DPRK can never be bartered for anything and any dialogue or peaceful atmosphere that clashes with them is meaningless, he said.

The peace retrieved on the brink of war was by no means won at the negotiating table but achieved by the inexhaustible and mighty military strength with the self-defensive nuclear deterrent raised by the great Party as the backbone and the invincible ranks single-heartedly united around the Party, he stated, emphasizing that the arms of Songun and single-minded unity of the army and people that have become stronger in the gale of time were, are and will be the basic guarantee for defending peace on the Korean peninsula.

We should give top priority to military buildup for national defence in the future too, without the slightest vacillation no matter which way the wind may blow, he stressed once again, setting forth detailed strategic tasks and ways to this end.

The supreme leader also notified the meeting of the recent flood damage in Rason, ordered the KPA in his capacity as its Supreme Commander to take full charge of the rehabilitation of the city and complete it before the Party founding anniversary and organized a headquarters for commanding the rehabilitation.

The Pyongyang Times