Strategy Research Institute "North Korea, Military Status and Morale Boost... Military Strategy Change Predicted"

Political Events Postponed Following Kim Jong-un's Military Inspection
Chief of General Staff Enters Party Political Bureau Standing Committee After 2 Years
Creating Military Security-Focused Image Amid Economic Crisis

On the 12th, Korean Central TV reported that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, inspected the pursuit attack aircraft regiment under the Western District Air and Anti-Aircraft Corps. Chairman Kim is seen shading his eyes with his hand while watching a fighter jet taking off.

North Korea is raising the status of its military and boosting morale through the Workers' Party Political Bureau meeting and the Supreme People's Assembly, signaling potential changes in its future military strategy, according to an analysis.

On the 13th, the National Security Strategy Institute, a research institute under the National Intelligence Service, stated in its distributed report titled "Analysis of the Characteristics of the 3rd Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly and the Workers' Party Political Bureau Meeting" that "since the plenary meeting of the Workers' Party in December last year, Chairman Kim Jong-un's military activities have been intensifying."

The institute noted that the Supreme People's Assembly, originally scheduled for the 10th, was postponed due to Kim's military activities.

Prior to the Supreme People's Assembly, Chairman Kim inspected an Air Force pursuit-attack aircraft regiment around the 9th (estimated). This inspection caused the Political Bureau meeting to be postponed, and with the Political Bureau meeting delayed, the Supreme People's Assembly was naturally deferred as well. In North Korea's party-state system, decisions from party meetings are made first, and the Supreme People's Assembly subsequently ratifies them.

The institute analyzed that "the postponement of the Political Bureau meeting due to Kim's military inspection created a particular image."

Additionally, through this Supreme People's Assembly, the Chief of the General Staff re-entered as a full member of the Party Political Bureau after two years, indicating a restoration of the military's status, the institute evaluated. Previous Chiefs of the General Staff, such as Ri Yong-gil and Kim Kyok-sik, were only granted candidate member status.

The Law on Guaranteeing Conditions for Retired Military Officers was also enacted this time, which the institute assessed as "creating an image of valuing the military despite the economic crisis."

The entry of Park Jong-chon, a former artillery bureau chief, into the Party Political Bureau as a full member is interpreted in this context. The institute stated, "North Korea has been expanding new artillery forces and is preparing for recent actual deployment," adding, "Park Jong-chon's entry reflects the trend of strengthening conventional forces centered on artillery."

North Korea held the 3rd session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly on the 12th at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 687 delegates elected from across the country attended this meeting.

Furthermore, the institute evaluated that through this series of meetings, Kim Jong-un's sole leadership system and 'party-based leadership' were reinforced.

The institute said, "The composition of the leadership body (Central Committee) members at the Party Political Bureau meeting is extremely unusual."

The decline in the status of the Supreme People's Assembly is also noteworthy. Last year, Kim had already relinquished his delegate status, lowering the Assembly's stature, and particularly this time, due to the postponement of the Party Political Bureau meeting following Kim's military inspection, the Supreme People's Assembly was postponed without any coverage.

Regarding personnel, the return of Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party, as a candidate member was evaluated as a notable development. The institute anticipated "an increase in Kim Yo-jong's role related to inter-Korean and US affairs."

At the end of February, former Labor Party Organization and Guidance Department Director Ri Man-gon, who was reported by North Korean media to have been "dismissed from his post," was confirmed to have sat in the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly on the 12th, following the Labor Party Political Bureau meeting on the 11th. Accordingly, it cannot be ruled out that he was dismissed only from the position of Organization and Guidance Department Director as part of a "symbolic measure" to enforce discipline among the high-ranking officials, while still retaining his status as a Political Bureau member and State Affairs Commission member.

Regarding Ri Son-gwon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, entering as a candidate member of the Party Political Bureau, the institute stated, "It is presumed to be an ex officio appointment due to his ministerial position," and did not assign significant meaning to it.

The retention of Ri Man-gun, former head of the Party Organization and Guidance Department, as a Political Bureau member stands out. He was dismissed from his post in February at an expanded Political Bureau meeting due to corruption related to the Kim Il-sung Advanced Party School.

Typically, those under disciplinary action cannot attend various meetings. However, he appeared at this Political Bureau meeting, and the institute inferred, "It is presumed that Chairman Kim had special trust in him." Park Tae-deok, the Party Vice Chairman who was dismissed alongside Ri Man-gun in February, did not attend this meeting.

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