Kim Jong Eun has emphasized the need for ideological education during a recent military base visit ahead of the annual ‘Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG)’ ROK-US joint military exercises.

Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA) stated in a report on the visit released today, “Supreme Commander Kim Jong Eun reviewed a division under KPA Base No. 552. He gave them binoculars and automatic weapons as gifts and then took a commemorative photo with the soldiers.”

Reviewing the command center at the base, Kim observed, “Commanders must develop the ability to quickly analyze the circumstances and make the right decisions in a combat environment,” before adding, “All soldiers should use documents and supplementary tasks to develop familiarity with the combat mission.”

“Attention must be paid to political ideological education,” a satisfied Kim went on. “Revolutionary, class and moral culture should be embedded in the hearts of the soldiers so that they can carry on even after their discharge.”

This represents Kim’s first military inspection in two months, but was inevitable ahead of the UFG exercises, which run from the 20th to the 31st of this month and which the North Korean media tends to portray as an exercise in invasion preparation by the American “imperialists” and their South Korean “puppets”.