DPRK top leader emphasizes "moral discipline" within army

Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Jan. 9, 2021 shows Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), speaks during the eighth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, the DPRK. (KCNA/Handout via Xinhua)

PYONGYANG, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Wednesday emphasized establishing "the revolutionary moral discipline" within the Korean People's Army (KPA), the official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.

During the first enlarged meeting of the 8th Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), Kim said, "To establish the revolutionary moral discipline within the KPA is not just a technical issue, but a fatal issue related to the existence of the KPA and success or failure in the army building and military activities."

At the meeting, Kim also stressed that "it is necessary above all to intensify the education and control aimed at ensuring that the KPA commanding officers of the new generation have the proper political consciousness and moral point of view."

The report said "the meeting referred to a series of shortcomings revealed in the military and political activities and moral life of KPA commanding officers, and mainly discussed the issue of thoroughly establishing the revolutionary moral discipline within the KPA."

According to the report, the Central Military Commission appointed Kim Song Gil as commander of the Navy of the KPA with the title of vice admiral, while Kim Chung Il was appointed as commander of the KPA Air and Anti-Aircraft Force with the title of lieutenant general.

A decision to promote the military ranks of major commanding officers was also adopted at the meeting, the report added.