Kim Jong Un stresses military role in economic development
Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), called on the military to play an active role in the country's economic development at a celebration on Friday.
He made the remarks during a commemoration event marking the 71st anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
The country celebrated the anniversary quietly without a military parade or any other show of strength.
Delivering a speech at the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, Kim said the military has "a larger role this year, a crucial year in carrying out the five-year strategy for national economic development," reported Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
He urged the military to play a role in the "great surge and innovations" in the nation's "revolutionary struggle" for economic growth and in building a powerful state.
This year's anniversary comes just weeks before Kim's second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam later this month.
"Army-Building Day," which commemorates the 1948 establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA), is one of the DPRK's biggest national holidays.
Kim also attended a banquet and was joined by top military commanders and government officials.
Last year, a massive military parade was held in Pyongyang to exhibit weapons and military hardware to mark the 70th anniversary.
Hwasong-15 ballistic missiles are shown during the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army in Pyongyang, DPRK, February 8, 2018. /VCG Photo
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Since Wednesday, U.S. special envoy for the DPRK Stephen Biegun has been in Pyongyang for pre-summit negotiations with his counterpart, Kim Hyok Chol.
The two sides were expected to try to work out the outlines of a deal to be finalized at the upcoming summit.
According to Yonhap, the DPRK switched the army anniversary back to February 8 last year after having observed it on April 25 since 1978.
April 25 is the date when founding leader Kim Il Sung created anti-Japanese guerrilla forces in 1932 during Japan's colonial rule of Korea.
(Top image: DPRK leader Kim Jong Un attends a performance marking the 71st anniversary of the Korean People's Army in Pyongyang, February 8, 2019. /VCG Photo)