Kim Jong-un Visits Ship Engine and Military Supply Factories, Calls for "Strengthening Naval Forces"

"Important Route to Be Presented at the Plenary Meeting"

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, inspected the Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise in Pyongan Province, which produces ship engines and other equipment, as well as important military supply factories. This marks another effort to encourage the military industry following his visit to the Navy Command last month.

According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 3rd, Kim Jong Un was accompanied on his on-site guidance tour of the Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise and important military supply factories by Party Secretaries Jo Yong Won and Kim Jae Ryong, Central Committee Department Head Jo Chun Ryong, and Central Committee Deputy Directors Kim Yo Jong and Choe Myong Chol. The exact date of the inspection was not disclosed.

The Chairman stated that the Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise "holds an irreplaceable responsibility in the development of the country's (North Korea's) shipbuilding industry and the strengthening of our (North Korea's) naval forces," and expressed confidence that "the upcoming plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee will present an important line regarding the modernization of the Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise and the development direction of the country's shipbuilding industry," the agency reported.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise produces diesel engines, parts, and equipment for ships. Kim Jong Un’s linking of factory development with naval power is closely related to the recent emphasis on strengthening naval forces. On the 27th of last month, ahead of Navy Day, he visited the Navy Command and asserted that "the current situation demands that our navy devote all efforts to completing war preparations and maintain a constant state of readiness for combat."

Kim Jong Un also reviewed the production struggle goals set by the Party members and workers of the Bukjung Machinery Combined Enterprise for the end of the year, expressing "full support and great satisfaction," the agency added. While the agency reported that Kim also toured an "important military supply production factory," it did not specify which factory it was.

The Chairman expressed satisfaction with "the progress of the factory’s technological modernization and provided directions related to the creation of additional production capacity," emphasizing "the importance of the factory’s position and role in strengthening our (North Korea’s) armed forces."

Kim Jong Un has recently publicized schedules inspecting several military supply production factories, reaffirming his commitment to the development of the military industry.

Following visits to military supply factories such as the large-caliber artillery shell production factory from the 3rd to the 5th of last month, he emphasized at the expanded meeting of the Party Central Military Commission on the 9th that "all factories and enterprises in the military supply industry must vigorously push forward the mass production struggle of various armed equipment in line with the modernization of the military’s operational demands." Two days later, he toured multiple military supply factories including a tactical missile production factory.

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