A firing contest among artillery sub-units of large combined units of the Korean People's Army was conducted on May 29 amid the intensive combat training for implementing the line of the Workers' Party of Korea on building a powerful army in the new era, which is aimed at attaining the strongest military capability, being organized and enforced in the entire army.

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, oversaw the artillery firing contest.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was accompanied by Pak Jong Chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK.

He was greeted on the spot 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, and other commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and military and political commanding officers of large combined units of the KPA.

The commanders of the front-line large combined units commanded the firing.

The artillery sub-units at all levels that participated in the contest fully demonstrated the skilful artillery firing techniques they have consolidated through intensive training true to the Party's training-first policy.

Kim Jong Un praised the artillery sub-units for demonstrating the perfect actual war capability of the artillery of the KPA, which is preparing itself in full combat readiness to be matchless combat ranks that can fight any time and surely win if they fight a war. He positively appreciated that a scientific combat training system has been thoroughly established in the entire army and qualitative changes are taking place in strengthening the war capability of the artillery in conformity with the developing aspects and changing trend of modern warfare.

He said it is very important to frequently organize firing contests in a simulation of an actual warfare in training the artillerymen into all-round and a-match-for-a-hundred ones capable of directly hitting the target at any time and in any situation. He stressed once again that prioritizing and intensifying training are an expression of absolute loyalty to the Party, the revolution, the country and the people and making the highest degree of demand on training is the shortcut to building up a powerful army.

He expressed expectation and belief that the units at all levels of the entire army would train all the service personnel into heroes in training and combat, possessed of strong spiritual strength, stubborn will, great ability and high qualifications for an actual war, by thoroughly applying the spirit of the seventh conference of the training officers in the military activities and thus firmly guarantee the comprehensive development of the DPRK by force of arms.