North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on Korean People's Army (KPA) commanders to ensure their units are fully prepared for war, speaking at the Third Meeting of KPA Company Commanders. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim stressed that completing combat preparations is the foremost duty of company-level commanders and that this goal can only be achieved through fundamental reforms in training exercises.
Kim stated that company commanders would further consolidate the backbone of the armed forces, adding that the future of the military rests firmly in their hands. He expressed confidence that the steps being taken would secure the long-term strength of the army.
The remarks came amid renewed tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On September 21, three South Korean soldiers were wounded when a land mine exploded in the Demilitarized Zone. Seoul blamed Pyongyang for the incident, while North Korea flatly denied any responsibility and warned it would respond "immediately and ruthlessly" to any attack on its troops.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un and head of the Korean Workers' Party's General Affairs Department, claimed on October 19 that there was a "serious" destabilization caused by "South Korean military gangsters" along the southern border, accusing Seoul of provocation. She also indicated that Pyongyang was considering increasing the number of tactical strike weapons deployed near the southern border and resuming loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts that were halted last year.
South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Yong-sung visited frontline units and instructed soldiers to respond firmly and decisively should North Korea engage in any further provocations.
