Kim Jong-un's Extensive Political, Military, and Livelihood Activities... Demonstrating Leadership Ahead of the 75th Party Founding Anniversary (Comprehensive)

Artillery Shooting Training and Ballistic Missile Launch Again
Announcement of Supreme People's Assembly Meeting for Major Decisions
Groundbreaking of Pyongyang Hospital Construction Emphasizing 'People's Health'
"Creating a Leader Image Prioritizing People and Security" Analysis

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un supervised the artillery firing competition of the Western Front Combined Unit on the 20th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 21st. Photo released by Rodong Sinmun on the 21st. Photo by XXX

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, has recently been actively engaging in political, military, and livelihood-related activities, thereby asserting his presence both domestically and internationally. This is seen as an effort to highlight his image as a leader who cares for the people and security on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party this year, and to further solidify his leadership.

On the 21st, North Korea's state media, Korean Central News Agency, reported that Chairman Kim supervised an artillery shooting competition of the Western Front Combined Unit on the 20th and instructed the strengthening of artillery units' training in accordance with the situation.

Despite the emergency situation in North Korea to prevent the influx of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), which was declared a pandemic, Kim has been observing and directing military drills daily since the end of last month.

North Korea also launched two projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles on the 21st. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 21st, "Our military detected two projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Sunchon area in North Pyongan Province toward the northeast East Sea at around 6:45 a.m. and 6:50 a.m. today."

Military and intelligence authorities estimate that Kim Jong-un personally observed the launch site.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un supervised an artillery shooting competition of the Western Front Large Combined Unit on the 20th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 21st. Photo released by Rodong Sinmun on the 21st. Photo by Rodong Sinmun.

Additionally, North Korea announced on the same day that it will hold the Supreme People's Assembly, which is equivalent to South Korea's regular National Assembly, next month. The news agency reported on the 21st that the 3rd session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly will be convened in Pyongyang on the 10th of next month.

The Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly informed the deputies of this in a public notice released the day before and stated that deputy registration will also take place on April 10.

The Supreme People's Assembly is the highest sovereign body under North Korea's constitution. It holds regular sessions around April each year to establish basic principles of national policy such as constitutional and legal amendments, appoint key state officials, and approve the budget.

North Korea usually holds the Supreme People's Assembly once a year, but exceptionally convened it twice in 2012, 2014, and 2019.

At this session of the Supreme People's Assembly, it is expected that the economic situation of the previous year will be reviewed, this year's budget deliberated and approved, and legislative measures or decisions to drive economic growth will be discussed.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Pyongyang General Hospital on the 17th, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 18th. The photo, released by Korean Central Television that afternoon, shows Chairman Kim wearing a black leather jacket and giving a speech without a mask.

Amid the all-out response to COVID-19, Chairman Kim attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pyongyang General Hospital on the 17th and even took the first shovel, showing his concern for the people's livelihood. Unusually, he gave a speech at the ceremony attended by workers and lower-level personnel rather than officials. This appears to demonstrate his determination to urgently improve the poor medical infrastructure amid prolonged sanctions and the all-out COVID-19 response. It also seems intended to highlight that the 'Supreme Leader' prioritizes the health and safety of the residents and pays special attention to public sentiment.

Kim's wide-ranging and intensive activities are analyzed to be related to the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the Party on October 10.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, analyzed, "Recent military activities by Chairman Kim Jong-un, attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pyongyang General Hospital, the holding of an expanded Political Bureau meeting, and the announcement of the Supreme People's Assembly convening all demonstrate the normal functioning of the Party-Government-Military system centered on Kim Jong-un. In particular, through the image of a leader who values security and the people, there is a strategic intention to further solidify the Kim Jong-un sole leadership system this year, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Party."

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