North Korea’s official media said today, Monday, that North Korea has “expanded and reorganized” many of its military units in line with the new security situation and given them operational combat missions.
The message comes after North Korea held a massive military parade last week to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army, which showcased intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and other advanced weapons, as well as new military units.
Without specifying how the military units were expanded, the KCNA reported that “many service and combat units of the KPA have been expanded and reorganized, and they have been assigned key operational combat missions,” in accordance with new situations and strategic and tactical tasks.
In an English-language statement, the KCNA added that Pyongyang changed the colors of military units that “showed their dignity and honor at a military parade” marking the anniversary of the Korean People’s Army.
North Korea has previously pledged to expand and intensify military exercises and “upgrade” its combat readiness in response to joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington involving strategic sites.
Photos of the military parade released by state media last week show that one of the military colors featured a Hwaseong-17 ballistic missile and the numbers 2022.11.
This has led to speculation that North Korea may have created a division responsible for ICBM operations last November.
The colors of the Main Missile Directorate were revealed during a military event after being first shown at a party military meeting earlier last week.
The KCNA also reported that columns of “specialized military personnel, including the 191st reconnaissance brigade” took part in the parade. Observers say the unit appears to be in charge of North Korea’s communications and intelligence, as the secret regime promised to launch a spy satellite into orbit by April.
Source: Yonhap
