Over a dozen soldiers involved in a military exercise during Kim Jong Un’s visit to a special forces base last month were later arrested, Daily NK has learned.
A source in Pyongyang said recently that about 20 soldiers who participated in the exercise “were arrested on Sept. 13 and taken to the army’s security bureau.”
The main issue was violating Kim’s personal safety protocols. The source said Kim’s security team felt the soldiers lacked focus and appeared sloppy during shooting drills, potentially endangering the leader’s life.
“Glancing towards the supreme leader during live-fire exercises is risky and could lead to accidents. Kim’s security personnel harshly criticized the soldiers for such inappropriate behavior,” the source explained.
“It was a major problem that they unnerved even Kim’s security team, especially since they knew about the visit and had rehearsed,” the source added. “This led to accusations of insincere attitudes during the drill.”
The security team particularly noted the soldiers’ dangerous conduct during demonstrations, blaming it on the special forces base’s lack of mental preparedness and poor understanding of operational orders.
“The incident relates to Kim’s concerns expressed after the inspection,” the source said.
Kim complained about the soldiers’ perfunctory behavior, faulting the commanders entirely and worsening the situation.
“The unit’s commanders and those involved likely face severe punishment, as the authorities take such mistakes during the supreme leader’s visits very seriously. However, Kim must approve the final punishment,” the source noted.
The army’s security bureau has since issued notices emphasizing strict compliance with Kim’s safety rules, calling for intensive training, ideological education, and stronger discipline to prevent similar incidents at future events attended by Kim.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
