North Korea’s Kim Jong-un oversaw a live-fire rocket artillery exercise to ensure his military’s preparedness and ‘further kindle the flames of training revolution,’ on Monday.
Kim smiled widely while watching from an observation post, and wore a black fur hat and leather coat.
Other military officials were seen wearing black masks, in an apparent reflection of the country’s campaign against the coronavirus, but Kim went mask-free.
The Korean Central News Agency report of Jong-un’s, 36, test run comes one day after South Korea’s military detected what appeared to be two short-range ballistic launches of projectiles that landed in the Sea of Japan.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the ‘unidentified projectiles’ were fired near the coastal town of Wonsan and flew about 149 miles.
Pyongyang´s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper shared photos of the rockets being blasted out of several launchers and a target placed on an island shrouded in smoke.
This photo provided by the North Korean government shows a military drill in North Korea on Monday to test a live-fire rocket artillery exercise
Jong-un reportedly said the People’s Army should keep full combat-readiness to protect the sky, land and sea of the country from any encroachment
North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un (pictured) watched the launch with hopes of further kindling ‘the flames of training revolution’, state media reports
Experts said North Korea’s recent pause in launches was due to the country’s shifted focus to the fast-spreading coronavirus.
But on Monday, Jong-un watched as the military ‘proudly demonstrated’ accurate marksmanship with their long-range artillery, according to state media.
North Korea likely tested a developmental ‘super large’ multiple rocket launcher it demonstrated last year, said Kim Dong-yub, an analyst from Seoul’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies.
Pyongyang´s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper shared photos of a target placed on an island shrouded in smoke
State media said Jong-un (pictured) was pleased with demonstration, specifically the accuracy of long-range artillery
KCNA said: ‘(Kim) expressed great satisfaction with the fact that the artillerymen are prepared to make rapid reaction to any circumstances and perfectly carry out their firepower combat duties.’
‘Saying that the victory of the socialist cause is guaranteed by the powerful military force and a war deterrence, he said that the People’s Army should keep full combat-readiness to protect the sky, land and sea of the country from any encroachment.’
The agency did not specify what encroachments were referring to.
North Korea has resumed ballistic activity and weapons launches to expand its military capabilities since talks between Jong-un and President Donald Trump fell through last year.
Jong-un said he will bolster his testing in spite of ‘gangster-like” U.S.’ sanctions and political pressure.
People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea’s firing projectiles with a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea
Across the border into South Korea, there are at least 4,800 confirmed cases of coronavirus that risk of spilling over into the north.
State media has called North Korea’s efforts to keep coronavirus at bay a matter of ‘national existence.’
Jong-un has warned that if coronavirus hits the country there will be ‘serious consequences.’
Pictured: A man in South Korea watch a report on North Korea’s launch of two unidentified projectiles on TV
He said: ‘In case the infectious disease spreading beyond control finds its way into our country, it will entail serious consequences.’
‘No special cases must be allowed within the state anti-epidemic system.’
He has since instructed officials to ‘seal off all the channels and space through which the infectious disease may find its way, and strengthen check-up, test and quarantine.’
So far, North Korea has banned tourists, intensified screening at entry points, halted nearly all cross-border traffic and mobilized tens of thousands of health workers to assist patients.
South Korea’s case numbers are expected to rise further as authorities carry out checks on more than 260,000 people associated Shincheonji
Analysts have said North Korea may also be reducing training and other activities with large groups to reduced possible coronavirus spread throughout the armed forces.
China’s UN ambassador said Monday that North Korea is suffering ‘negatively’ from the coronavirus amid continuing sanctions from other countries.
Zhang Jun called on the United States and other countries for more flexibility.
He said sanctions are having ‘a lot of humanitarian impact on ordinary people’ in North Korea ‘so we should do whatever we can to lessen, to diminish the negative impact on that.’
‘Especially nowadays, you know many countries are also being affected negatively by COVID-19 (virus) including [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea].’
‘So we do think we should take all the things into consideration in finding a comprehensive solution to the issue relating to DPRK.’
When asked what North Korea was doing to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in country of 25 million people.
‘We know that they are also attaching great importance, and taking preventive methods, and they are also doing whatever they can in fighting this virus,’ Zhang said.