Kim Jong-un Holds Expanded Central Military Commission Meeting... "Thoroughly Maintain a High State of Mobilization"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, held an expanded meeting of the Central Military Commission and instructed to "thoroughly maintain a high state of combat readiness." Although the report did not include any external messages such as the U.S. policy toward North Korea, experts pointed out that it is highly likely that such discussions took place during the meeting.

The Rodong Sinmun reported on the 12th that the 2nd expanded meeting of the 8th Central Military Commission was held on the 11th at the Party Headquarters building under the chairmanship of General Secretary Kim.

The meeting was attended by members of the Central Military Commission, commanders of the Korean People's Army branches, division commanders, and executive members of the Party Committees of the People's Army.

The Rodong Sinmun reported that at the expanded meeting, "important tasks were presented to further enhance the combat capability of the revolutionary armed forces and to bring about a new turning point in the overall national defense work in accordance with the demands of the rapidly changing situation around the Korean Peninsula and the internal and external environment of our revolution."

General Secretary Kim analyzed the created situation and the actual state of the People's Army's work, and revealed ways to achieve the permanent strategic tasks of the People's Army and the strengthening and development of the revolutionary armed forces. However, detailed methods were not disclosed.

General Secretary Kim emphasized, "For the People's Army to firmly defend the country's sovereignty and security and to fulfill the sacred mission and duty of protecting the Party and revolutionary work, the interests of the state and the people, and socialist construction, it is necessary to resolutely implement the Party's military construction line and policies without the slightest deviation (as planned) and to thoroughly maintain a high state of combat readiness."

The meeting also discussed the dismissal, transfer, and appointment of some commanders at the branch and corps-level units, but detailed information was not mentioned.

Although the meeting mentioned the "recent rapidly changing surrounding situation" and discussed national defense-related matters, no direct messages regarding the U.S. policy toward North Korea or South Korea were presented. Experts interpret this as a form of message control and analyze that actual discussions related to the U.S. and South Korea likely took place during the meeting.

Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies analyzed, "It is characteristic that there was no mention of self-defensive nuclear deterrence or nuclear forces, indicating a message control aspect," and added, "Considering the discussion of the rapidly changing surrounding situation, internal and external environmental demands, and new turning tasks in overall national defense work, it is judged that discussions on the U.S. policy toward North Korea also took place."

Professor Im Eul-chul of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University also stated, "It is judged to be an intention to demonstrate to both domestic and international audiences the will not to neglect national defense construction alongside economic construction," and "It is possible that the meeting analyzed and evaluated the termination of missile guidelines agreed upon by the two leaders at the May 21 U.S.-South Korea summit and discussed future response measures."