Kim was seen holding a cigarette while talking to a room full of top generals in uniforms. Pictures in the state media showed him pointing at maps and images while discussing important military actions against South Korea. This happened during a meeting of the Central Military Commission.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the meeting’s main topic was getting ready for war and making sure the military is fully prepared. This meeting took place shortly after Kim visited important arms factories.
This meeting happened as South Korea and the United States were getting ready for big joint military exercises later in the month. North Korea sees these exercises as practice for an invasion and has warned that they could lead to a strong response.
During the meeting, Kim removed Pak Su Il, who was in charge of the general staff, from his position. He put Vice Marshal Ri Yong Gil in charge instead. The KCNA report didn’t provide more details about this change.
Pak, who was given a higher job position last year, might have been fired “because he didn’t prove he was good enough in military operations,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute.
“Kim Jong Un tends to replace officials fast if they can’t handle their jobs well,” he said.
Ri might have been the best choice to take Pak’s place, as he has done this job for a long time before, Cheong added.
Kim has instructed munitions factories to increase the production of different weapons and gear. He also emphasized the need for practicing with these new weapons and equipment through realistic war drills. This indicates that Kim wants the North Korean military to be ready for offensive actions. The report seems to be North Korea’s way of responding to the upcoming joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, according to an official from Seoul’s unification ministry.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, was seen pointing to what looked like a map of Seoul in photos published by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. This action seemed like a threat towards South Korea. The meeting also talked about getting ready for a big parade on September 9th to celebrate North Korea’s 75th anniversary. In the past, they had a huge military parade showing off their nuclear capabilities. They even had a defense expo with advanced weapons shown to the Russian defense minister.