North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony marking the 80th founding anniversary of the country's air force, vowing to bestow new strategic military assets and an important duty upon it. The remarks were reported by state media on Sunday. Kim's daughter, Ju-ae, accompanied him to the event.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony on Friday at Kalma Airport to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the Air Force of the Korean People's Army. The event took place at the 59th Kil Yong Jo Hero Flying Group of the Second Air Wing. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim stated in his speech, "The Air Force will be given new strategic military assets and entrusted with a new important duty," without specifying the assets.
He noted, "The expectations ... for the Air Force which will play a role in the exercise of the nuclear war deterrent is very great, and that the Air Force should resolutely repulse and control all sorts of espionage acts and possible military provocations of the enemies to encroach upon the sovereign airspace."
North Korea has been modernizing its conventional forces, including unveiling its first live-fire air-to-air drill with military aircraft in May and an airborne early warning and control aircraft system in March.
Kim's daughter and heir apparent, Ju-ae, joined him, marking her first media appearance since accompanying her father to a military parade in Beijing in early September. The event featured Kim watching an Air Force demonstration flight from an observation platform, an art performance, and the awarding of the Kim Jong Il Order—the country's highest honor—to the Air Force.
The ceremony underscores North Korea's ongoing efforts to bolster its military capabilities.