Kim Jong Un (1) on the plaza in front of the Ministry of People’s Security headquarters in Pyongyang, prior to commemorative photo-ops on May Day (1 May) in Pyongyang. Also in attendance are Minister of People’s Security, Col. Gen. Choe Pu Il (3) and Director of the KPSIF Political Bureau, Col. Gen. Ri Pyong Sam (2) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)
DPRK state media reported on 1 May (Wednesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) inspected the Ministry of People’s Security and watched a sports contest between DPRK public health workers, on International Labor Day (May Day). KJU’s last reported public appearance was his attendance at the DPRK premier league men’s football (soccer) finals for the Mangyo’ngdae Prize at Kim Il Sung Stadium. First, Kim Jong Un visited the Ministry of People’s Security [MPS] and inspected Korean People’s Internal Security Forces [KPISF] Unit #2219. Attending his visit to the MPS was VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department) and Jang Song Taek (Vice Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission [NDC] and Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Administration Department).
After arriving at MPS headquarters in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un posed for commemorative photographs with MPS and KPISF personnel. He also paid his respects to statues of Kim Il Sung, the late DPRK President and founder, and Kim Jong Il, the country’s late leader. According to KCNA, KJU said “the erection of their statues at the ministry strikingly demonstrates the unshakable will of all people’s security persons and service personnel of KPISF to eternally hold the peerlessly great men in high esteem and devotedly defend the socialist system, a precious legacy bequeathed by the Generalissimos.” He also “underscored the need for them to eternally hold the Generalissimos in high esteem as the sun of Chuch’e, firmly defend and glorify their undying revolutionary exploits with pure revolutionary conscience and strong sense of obligation.” Kim Jong Un “gave important instructions to tighten people’s security and bolster up the combat capabilities of KPISF in every way” and remarked that “the Ministry of People’s Security and KPISF play a very important role for defending the socialist system, he said, adding that the people’s security persons and service personnel of KPISF should be deeply aware of their heavy yet honorable combat missions.”
Kim Jong Un poses for commemorative photographs in front of the Ministry of People’s Security headquarters in Pyongyang on 1 May 2013 (Photos: Rodong Sinmun)
KCNA reported that Kim Jong Un “underlined the need to strengthen the people’s security organ and the internal security forces as units defending the policies of the party, strong guardians of socialism, merciless striking forces and reliable protectors of the lives and properties of the people” and said that “the enemies are now afraid of our single-minded unity around the party more than anything else and running the whole gamut of desperate and base moves to destabilize and bring down our society.” KJU said “now that the enemies are working hard to bar our people from trusting and following the party with pure conscience and fixed will and alienate the masses from it, it is important to intensify the struggle to frustrate their moves,” “called for devotedly defending the party, social system and people, decisively foiling the ideological and cultural poisoning and psychological warfare of the enemies and mercilessly wiping out the undesirable and hostile elements who have foolish day dreams” and he “underlined the need for the ministry and the internal security forces to make full combat preparations to annihilate the U.S. imperialists and south Korean puppet group keen to stifle the DPRK and to creditably fulfill their missions and duties in the sacred struggle to provide a firm guarantee by dint of arms and law for the implementation of the party’s line on simultaneously pushing forward the economic construction and the building of nuclear force.” He also noted that “our Chuch’e-oriented socialist country is invincible as the Korean People’s Army and KPISF, the two revolutionary armed forces of the WPK, are firmly defending the security of the country and people.”
Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with officers and service members of Korean People’s Internal Security Forces Unit #2219 on 1 May 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)
Kim Jong Un then inspected KPISF Unit #2219. After his arrival, he presented the unit with a pair of binoculars and an automatic rifle during a short ceremony. He then posed for commemorative photographs with officers and service members of the unit. KJU toured the political education facilities, visited a mess hall, a dormitory, a cultural education classroom and a washroom. KCNA reported that KJU was “satisfied to see good conditions in the bed room, praising the unit for keeping the wash-cum-bath room with a sauna attached neat and clean.” During a visit to a classroom he “he underscored the need to train the soldiers to be strong in idea and faith by intensifying politico-ideological education among them.”
After his tour, he supervised a drill by the unit. According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “highly appreciated their success in the drill and indicated tasks for bolstering up the combat capabilities of the unit” and “expressed belief that just as the service personnel of KPISF have always did, the soldiers of the unit would display a do-or-die will and matchless courage and thus become iron shields and fierce tigers devotedly defending the party, social system and people in their struggle to decisively foil the enemies’ moves to stifle the DPRK.”
Kim Jong Un (1) watches a sports competition of public health workers on 1 May 2013 with his wife Ri Sol Ju (2). Also in attendance are: Jang Song Taek (3), VMar Choe Ryong Hae (4), Pak Pong Ju (5), Kim Kyong Hui (6), Kim Ki Nam (7) and Kim Yang Gon (8). (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)
Kim Jong Un’s next visit was his attendance at a sports contest between public health workers. He was joined by his wife Ri Sol Ju (Ri So’l-chu) along with Pak Pong Ju (DPRK Cabinet Premier), VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Jang Song Taek, Kim Kyong Hui (KWP Secretary, KJU’s aunt and head of the Kim Family), Kim Ki Nam (KWP Secretary and Director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department), Choe Tae Bok (KWP Secretary and Supreme People’s Assembly Chairman), Pak To Chun (KWP Secretary), Kim Yang Gon (KWP Secretary and Director of the United Front Department) along with “other senior officials of the party, the state and the army and workers in the field of public health.” Also in attendance from the central leadership were: Gen. Kim Won Hong (Minister of State Security) Mun Kyong Dok (Chief Secretary of the Pyongyang City [municipal] KWP Committee), Jo Yon Jun (Senior Deputy [1st Vice] Director of the KWP Organization Guidance Department), Col. Gen. Kim Chang Sop (Director of the Ministry of State Security Political Bureau), Col. Gen. Ri Pyong Sam (Director of the KPISF Political Bureau), Kim Kyong Ok (Senior Deputy [1st Vice] Director of the KWP Organization Guidance Department), Col. Gen. Jo Kyong Chol (Chief of the Military Security Command), Gen. Yun Jong Rin (Chief of the Guard Command) and Gen. Kim Yong Chol (Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff and Chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau).
The public health workers were divided into two teams–the Pot’onggang and Taedonggang teams. KCNA reported of the sports competitions:
Male and female volleyball matches took place first.
The Pothonggang Team defeated its rival in the breath-taking male volleyball match and the Taedonggang Team trounced its rival in the female volleyball match.
Then followed table-tennis matches.
Men’s and women’s singles and doubles and singles of leading officials of the relevant units were played, drawing the attention of the spectators.
The Pothonggang Team won the men’s and women’s singles and men’s doubles while the Taedonggang Team emerged a winner in the women’s doubles.
The Pothonggang Team won the singles of leading officials of the relevant units.
The Pothonggang Team beat its rival 4:1 in the table-tennis matches.
A tug of war took place between the two teams.
The Pothonggang Team won the game.
According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “clapped his hands whenever the players displayed high technique.” The results of the competitions were announced and prizes given to the participants. At the end of the event, KJU “waved back to the enthusiastic cheers of the players and spectators and congratulated them on the successful games.”
Filed under: Administration Department, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, central party life, Choe Ryong Hae, Choe Tae Bok, Col. Gen. Kim Chang Sop, Col. Gen. Ri Pyong Sam, colonel general, corps commanders, critical infrastructure, DPRK Cabinet, DPRK Premier, DPRK Sports, DPRK Table Tennis, DPRK volleyball, Events Management Section, Gen. Kim Won Hong, Gen. Kim Yong Chol, Gen. Yun Jong Rin, Guard Command, Hyon Sang Ju (GFTUK), Jang Song-thaek, Jo Kyong Chol, Jo Yon Jun (OGD), Kim Chong-un inspections, Kim Family, Kim Jong Un Visits, Kim Jong-un, Kim Ki Nam, Kim Kyong Ok (OGD), Kim Sol Song (Kim Sul Song), Kim Yang Gon, KJI Personal Secretariat, KKH, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean People's Internal Security Forces, Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KPA General Political Bureau, KPA General Political Department, KPA supernumerary organizations, kpif, Machine Building Industry Department, Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School Alumni, military security command [msc], Minister of People's Security/KPISF construction units, ministry of people's security, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of State Security, MPAF GPB, National Defense Commission (NDC), national holidays, NDC Administration Department, North Korean press, Organization and Guidance Department, Pak Pong Ju, Pak To Chun, Party elders, party life, Political Bureau, Propaganda and Agitation Department, Provincial Party Committees, Pyongyang Defense Command, Ri Sol Ju (Kim Jong Un's wife), Ri Yong Su (Workers Orgs/AD), Secretariat, State Security Department, Supreme People's Assembly, Third Floor, United Front Department, Working Organizations
