The Fourth Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) took place with splendour in Pyongyang, the capital city of the DPRK, at a historic time when the august name and fighting spirit of the armed forces of the Workers’ Party Korea, the guardian of the DPRK government and genuine army of the people are fully demonstrated in the forefront of the drive for building a rich country with a strong army under the invincible guidance of the great Party Central Committee. 

The conference, the fourth of its kind in the history of the Juche-based army building, is of great significance in accelerating the drive for making the revolutionary armed forces the most elite and powerful ones by remarkably enhancing the role of the commanding officers of a battalion, the lowest-level commanding organ and major combat unit of the People’s Army, and thereby bringing about a substantial and fundamental improvement in strengthening battalions, as required by the revolutionary practice that calls for decisively frustrating all threats and challenges from the hostile forces, firmly defending the inviolable sovereignty, dignity and honour of the country and people and hastening the overall upward development of national rejuvenation. 

All the battalion commanders and political instructors of the army arrived on the same day in Pyongyang where there are the Party Central Committee they have pictured while decorating their military service with loyalty and feats, and the Supreme Commander they have always longed to see, while dedicating their pure conscience and sincere sweat to firmly consolidating the cornerstone of the military might. 

Along the streets citizens of the capital warmly waved their hands to the battalion commanders and political instructors who have unsparingly dedicated their youth in the first-line trench of defending the country and its interests and in the grand construction projects for bringing happiness to the people. 

The Fourth Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA took place on November 14 and 15. 

The conference comprehensively analyzed and reviewed the successes and experiences gained in the past decade’s struggle for putting into effect the spirit of the Third Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA, and discussed the tasks and ways for strengthening all the battalions into the most powerful combat groups so that they can firmly maintain the perfect capability for fighting a war and full combat readiness and proactively and perfectly carry out the important historic duty entrusted by the Party and the revolution, regarding it as their core target to implement the Party’s line of making the KPA stronger in terms of politics, ideology and military techniques. 

Present there were battalion commanders and political instructors of the armed forces of the DPRK and commanding officers of different military and political organs. 

The platform was taken by No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, Ri Yong Gil, chief of the General Staff of the KPA, Jong Kyong Thaek, director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, major commanding officers of all military and political organs, and commanding officers and political officers who have performed outstanding feats in strengthening battalions. 

The letter “Let’s guarantee the cause of building a strong army with sure progress in strengthening the battalions” sent by the Central Military Commission of the WPK to the participants in the Fourth Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA was read out at the conference. 

In the letter the Central Military Commission of the WPK referred to the vanguard role and patriotic activities of battalion commanders and political instructors, who have contributed to all victories of our armed forces that have firmly defended the dignity and security of the country and its people while proactively coping with not only military challenges encroaching upon the state sovereignty and security but also sudden crisis endangering the lives and properties of the people. It also highly appreciated that the foundation of our powerful and invincible armed forces is sturdy, and the security of the country and the advance of the revolution are firmly guaranteed, as such excellent revolutionary soldiers have become the roots for consolidating their battalions. 

The letter noted that the WPK, in view of the importance of the position and role of battalions which are further highlighted today facing a new stage of building a strong army, sets it as a main link in the whole chain of strengthening the army as a whole to strengthen battalions. 

It indicated important tasks and practical ways for the battalion commanders and political instructors to turn their battalions into the ones, which are strong in idea and faith and remain absolutely loyal and obedient to the military guidance of the Party Central Committee, and into elite combat ranks with strong fighting spirit, perfect combat posture and strict discipline. 

A report was made by Minister of National Defence No Kwang Chol. 

Saying that the KPA has grown stronger into an entity of iron fist and absolute strength of Juche Korea, upholding in the vanguard the WPK’s great cause of building a rich country with a powerful army, the reporter noted that in this proud course, the validity and vitality of the respected Comrade 

Kim Jong Un’s idea of prioritizing and strengthening battalions have been clearly demonstrated.

He said that Kim Jong Un, who has attached great significance to the position and role of the battalions in strengthening the KPA since the early years of his guidance over the military, attended the Third Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA ten years ago to provide an undying great programme for increasing the political and military might of the battalions in every way, and has wisely led the struggle for providing sure political and military supremacy of the KPA by training the battalions of the entire army to be elite combat ranks capable of defeating any formidable enemy. 

He said it is an invaluable truth cherished by the service personnel of the KPA through their life experience of the past decade that the victorious history of the strong revolutionary army, dignified with its highest honour and reputation, is being steadily carried forward, along with the proud course of strengthening battalions, and a rosy future is in store for the Juche revolutionary armed forces, thanks to the great brilliant commander. 

He referred to the precious successes made in the struggle for implementing the important tasks set forth at the Third Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA, thanks to the high revolutionary enthusiasm and devoted efforts of all battalion commanders and political instructors who have faithfully supported the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un’s idea of prioritizing and strengthening the battalions. 

The outlook on revolution and life that there is no greater happiness than the pride in living with ardent yearning for the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and sharing intention with the Supreme Commander has constituted the ideological and spiritual qualities of the officers and men of all battalions, and that all battalions have become more firmly prepared as vanguard ranks of death-defying guardians that remain absolutely loyal and obedient to the ideology and leadership of the Party Central Committee, he added. 

He said that all the battalion commanders and political instructors devoted themselves to increasing the combat capability of their battalions by setting practical examples and thus brought about a remarkable improvement in the war preparations to secure the full combat capability for carrying out any fighting duty promptly and accurately in contingency. 

He also noted that good experiences were gained in the work to turn the battalions and companies into dear native villages and homes of soldiers overflowing with brotherly affection. 

The reporter analyzed and reviewed the deviations that must be overcome in strengthening the battalions, saying that unless the commanding officers of battalions display extraordinary strength and fighting power, always mindful of the trust and expectations of the Party, they cannot turn their battalions into elite combat forces befitting the dignity and reputation of the powerful army. 

Noting that a new era of struggle, which has greeted an important turning phase in the dynamic development of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK, is calling the battalion commanders and political instructors, the reporter called on them to dedicate themselves to fulfilling their responsibility with pride and honour of standing in the vanguard of the struggle for accomplishing the Party’s cause of building a powerful army and thus dynamically open up a new heyday of strengthening battalions and bolstering up military capabilities in the great era of Kim Jong Un. 

Then followed speeches. 

Introduced in speeches were the achievements and experience gained in the course of consolidating battalions into a politically and ideologically pure entity sharing idea and intention and breathing the same air with the Party Central Committee and vanguard ranks for death-defyingly defending it, and of preparing the officers and soldiers of the battalions as hot-blooded warriors possessed of matchless pluck and perfect capability for fighting an actual war and of making painstaking inquiry and tireless efforts to improve the soldiers’ living standards in the spirit of making selfless, devoted efforts for the good of them. 

Analyzed and reviewed in speeches were a series of deviations and lessons battalion commanders and political instructors revealed in their work as they failed to be deeply aware that the fighting efficiency of battalions is guaranteed by their idea, faith and ability. 

The speakers expressed their firm determination to prepare themselves to be field commanding officers of abilities and action and front-line warriors, who can be the first to be called by the Supreme Commander and entrusted by him with the van of advance, and to dynamically lead the work for improving the fighting efficiency of the battalions by devoting themselves to improving their political awareness and practical ability, always bearing in mind that the situation of a grim war in which the destiny of the country and revolution will be decided and the implementation of the grand blueprints for the comprehensive national development depend on the preparedness of the battalions and the role of their commanding officers. 

Then followed a ceremony of awarding the Party and state commendations to the battalion commanders and political instructors who contributed to strengthening the battalions. 

Jong Kyong Thaek, director of the KPA General Political Bureau, read out a decree of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK. 

Citations of Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, were awarded to Pak Yong Nam, Jo Song Jin, Kim Song Jin and An Tong Hyok. 

Order of National Flag First Class was awarded to 6 persons, Order of Labour to 2 persons, Order of National Flag Second Class to 11 persons, Order of National Flag Third Class to 14 persons and Distinguished Military Service Medal to 6 persons. 

The venue of the ceremony was full of boundless gratitude to Kim Jong Un and the pledge to remain faithful to him who gave the high honour to the ordinary battalion commanders and political instructors who only fulfilled the sacred mission and duty as commanding officers of the revolutionary army and awarded high state commendations to them. 

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, visited the venue of the conference on the afternoon of November 15. 

Commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence, commanders of the KPA large combined units and other major military and political officers courteously greeted the Supreme Commander of the armed forces of the Republic who, attaching importance to the conference, visited the venue with his ardent affection and trust though he was very busy guiding in the van the struggle for defending the national sovereignty, achieving the national prosperity and promoting the people’s wellbeing, shouldering the heavy burden for the country and revolution. 

When Kim Jong Un appeared on the platform amid the playing of welcome music, all the participants broke into stormy cheers of “Hurrah!” looking up to the great defender of our state and invincible and iron-willed brilliant commander. 

Kim Jong Un warmly waved back to the commanding officers of the battalions of the entire army who are firmly consolidating the cornerstone of bolstering up the military capabilities with ardent patriotism and loyalty, pure conscience, indomitable devotion and dynamic efforts at the basic echelon of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK. 

He made an important speech “On the Prevailing Situation and the Tasks of the Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the Armed Forces of the Republic” before the participants in the conference. 

Appreciating the pure and ardent patriotism and loyalty of the battalion commanders and political instructors who are leading their men and treading the road of devotion unknown to others as they live in the large family of the Party, revolution, country and socialism, he repeatedly expressed thanks to them who are giving great courage and support to the WPK through their dynamic struggle for turning their battalions into elite combat forces that are thoroughgoing, brave and perfect in carrying out any order. 

He disclosed the threatening nature of the U.S., puppet ROK and other hostile forces’ frantic military confrontation with the DPRK that have brought the tension on the Korean peninsula, the hottest spot in the world, to the worst phase in history, and set forth a militant slogan to be held high by the armed forces of the DPRK at all levels for concentrating all efforts on rounding off the war preparations in conformity with the requirements of the revolution and the present situation. 

He clarified the importance of preparing the battalions well in accelerating the powerful political and military strength and fighting efficiency so that the regular armed forces and all other armed forces of the DPRK can cope with a war, and the position and role of the battalions and the basic duty of battalion commanders and political instructors. 

Saying that it is the goal of all the battalions of the armed forces of the DPRK to prepare themselves to be the battalions capable of immediately acting and fighting on command, not only speaking and vowing, and to be all-round battalions capable of perfectly carrying out any task and this is the spirit of the conference, he ardently called upon all the participants to go all out for bringing about substantial and fundamental improvement in consolidating their capabilities for fighting an actual war and for defending the state and people and bringing earlier an honourable victory in the war with the powerful military deterrent that has been built and bolstered up for a long time, deeply aware of their noble mission and duty entrusted by the Party and revolution. 

When Kim Jong Un concluded his speech, all the participants broke into enthusiastic cheers, looking up with emotion to the great brilliant commander who gives an invincible action programme indicating a clear path for strengthening and developing all battalions of the entire army into elite combat groups which are fully equipped with the revolutionary idea and will of the WPK, are capable of defeating any formidable enemy ideologically, morally, militarily and technically and embody the dignity unique to the KPA that is brave and imposing in fighting efficiency and manner, in line with the requirement of the building of a powerful army in the new era. 

The venue of the conference was filled with the extraordinary determination and militant enthusiasm of all the participants to dedicate their lives to the great Comrade Kim Jong Un, the inexhaustible might of our great state and the peace and happiness of our great people. 

A workshop was given for the participants in the conference on November 16 and 17. 

The workshop was chiefly aimed at making them deeply grasp the main idea and essence of the important speech made by Kim Jong Un before them. 

It dealt with important and urgent issues arising in bolstering up the fighting efficiency of the battalions, including the issue of defending and adding lustre to the immortal exploits performed by Kim Jong Un for strengthening the battalions and the issue of concentrating all efforts on rounding off the battalions’ war preparations as required by the prevailing situation and modern warfare. 

Through the workshop, the participants in the conference once again realized and were awakened to how important the position and duty of a battalion, the lowest-echelon commanding organ for realizing the Party’s leadership over the army, are in fulfilling the sacred mission of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK to defend the sovereignty of the country and the people, and learned the detailed ways and correct methodology for bringing about a definite advance in bolstering up the battalions. 

The conference will be brilliantly recorded in the history of building the Juche-oriented army as a great significant gathering that provided a new turning point in making all battalions of the entire army firm fortresses death-defyingly defending the Party Central Committee, iron fists for defending the national sovereignty and treasured swords for annihilating the enemy and in further strengthening the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK into a powerful and matchless entity of strength with the perfect capability for fighting a war and into an invincible vanguard for ushering in a new era of national rejuvenation.