Kim Jong-un Oversees Artillery Training Amid Prolonged 'Pyongyang Exodus' and Sea Breeze

Since Late February, Kim Jong-un Seems to Stay Continuously on the East Coast
"Kim Jong-un Escapes from Densely Populated Pyongyang"
Foreign Embassies in Pyongyang Also Closed Due to COVID-19

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is observing the artillery firing competition between the artillery units under the 7th and 9th Corps of the Korean People's Army on the 12th. Kim is the only one not wearing a mask alone.

Speculation is growing that North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un has left Pyongyang due to concerns over the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). On the 13th, North Korean media reported that Chairman Kim guided artillery units while "feeling the sea breeze."

The North Korean state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), stated on the same day, "Comrade Kim Jong-un guided the artillery firing competition of the artillery units under the 7th and 9th Corps of the Korean People's Army on March 12."

The specific training location was not disclosed. The 7th Corps is responsible for South Hamgyong Province and the East Coast, while the 9th Corps is stationed in North Hamgyong Province, managing the border area. The report mentioned "the People's Army soldiers who once again hosted the Supreme Leader Comrade (Kim Jong-un) at the training ground with strong sea breeze," suggesting that the training took place along the coast. Photos released by North Korean media also show the sea.

As a result, analysis suggests that Chairman Kim has been away from the capital for an extended period. North Korean media reported on the 29th of last month that "Comrade Kim Jong-un guided the joint strike training of the People's Army units on February 28," mentioning the training location as the "Eastern District Defense Units." On the 2nd of this month, he guided the launch of two short-range projectiles around Wonsan, Gangwon Province, and on the 9th, he guided the launch of three projectiles near Seondeok, South Hamgyong Province.

Professor Kim Dong-yeop of the Far East Institute at Gyeongnam National University also stated, "If Chairman Kim came to the Wonsan area around the end of February, he has been staying in the east for over ten days," adding, "It seems closely related to the COVID-19 situation in Pyongyang." Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported on the 11th, citing multiple sources, that "Pyongyang has a high population density and many foreigners, so it seems Chairman Kim is avoiding staying in Pyongyang."

Diplomatic missions from various countries residing in Pyongyang are also closing. Germany, France, Switzerland, and others are known to have temporarily completely closed their diplomatic missions in North Korea due to COVID-19.

The Russian Embassy in North Korea posted on its official Facebook account on the 9th (local time) about the transfer of foreigners residing in Pyongyang to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East via a special flight by Air Koryo that day, introducing that "the entire staff of the German, French, and Swiss diplomatic missions, which temporarily suspended their work in Pyongyang, were among the passengers."

On the 12th, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un supervised the artillery units' artillery firing competition, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 13th. The photo was released on the Korean Central News Agency's website. Photo by Korean Central News Agency

Meanwhile, on the same day, Chairman Kim guided the training alone without wearing a mask. This contrasted with all the surrounding accompanying officials who wore black masks.

At this event, Chairman Kim emphasized, "Always keep in mind that modern warfare is artillery warfare and preparation for artillery combat is preparation for the People's Army's combat," setting tasks such as ensuring the mobility of artillery units, the speed and accuracy of firing, training according to regulations, maintaining constant combat mobilization readiness, and adopting training formats and methods suitable for modern and actual warfare.

This training is presumed to have mainly involved conventional towed artillery and appears to be part of the joint strike training of the army, navy, and air force, which has been conducted as winter training since the 28th of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.