![North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a meeting of brigade and division commanders across the military on May 17 and said the “historic mission” of building the North Korean military into the world’s strongest force rests with those commanders, according to the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun on May 18. [For use only in the Republic of Korea. Redistribution prohibited.] / Courtesy of News1](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/05/CP-2022-0006/image-159e0f01-eb87-43d6-ab78-9feb1b9173fa.jpeg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened brigade and division commanders from across the military and emphasized strengthening war deterrence through military restructuring and reinforcement of front-line units.
North Korea’s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported May 18 that Kim gathered military brigade and division commanders the previous day and said the “historic mission” of arming the country’s military into the world’s strongest force had been entrusted to them.
During the meeting, Kim called for improvements to training systems tailored to changes in modern warfare and stressed the need for more practical military exercises. He also referenced “organizational measures” aimed at updating military structures and military technology systems, underscoring the role of commanders in carrying out those efforts.
Kim specifically referred to the ruling party’s territorial defense policy of “strengthening front-line units defending the southern border and turning the border line into an impregnable fortress.” He also outlined plans for future military organizational restructuring and the military technological reinforcement of key units.
“Our military’s equipment is being modernized at a rapid pace, and operational concepts in all domains must be newly defined accordingly,” Kim said.
He further claimed that once the goals of the next five-year plan are completed, the military’s readiness for strategic operations would be transformed beyond comparison to its current state and would bring “major changes” to war deterrence capabilities.
Kim also instructed commanders to strengthen “class consciousness” and awareness of the “principal enemy,” while remaining fully prepared to defend national sovereignty under heightened states of readiness.
He additionally stressed ideological discipline, saying the country must first defend itself through “ideology and conviction” before relying on physical force.
The meeting was attended by Ri Yong Gil and Pak Jong Chon, an adviser to North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense. Following the meeting, Kim took commemorative photographs with commanders of combined military units at the headquarters compound of the ruling Workers’ Party.
