North Korea’s ‘Impregnable Fortress’: Kim Jong-un Orders Military Build-up

Translation resultKim Jong Un summoned commanders from across the armed forces and ordered a buildup of forces along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), state media reported.KCNA said on the 18th that Kim called division and brigade commanders to the Workers’ Party Central Headquarters on the 17th to address a series of “important military issues.” He cited the party’s territorial defense policy and called for strengthening first-line units guarding the southern border and turning the boundary into an “impregnable fortress.” The comments signal a plan to reinforce frontline formations along the MDL facing South Korea.Kim said he will treat a reorganization of the military’s structure as an “important decision” aimed at more thoroughly deterring war. He outlined plans to strengthen key units, including first-line forces, through military-technical upgrades and modernization.He said the government will adopt institutional measures to modernize the force both organizationally and technologically, and he emphasized commanders’ responsibilities and roles in that effort. He ordered an overhaul of the training system and a stepped-up focus on practical exercises, saying “preparing the force for combat is the army’s core duty” and that training must match the changing character of modern warfare and the army’s development.