Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) — Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, oversaw an artillery firing contest of artillery sub-units under the large combined units of the Korean People’s Army in the western area organized on April 15, the Day of the Sun.

Comrade Kim Jong Un was greeted on the spot by No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, Ri Yong Gil, chief of the General Staff of the KPA, Kim Song Gi, director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, and other commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and military and political commanding officers of the KPA large combined units in the western area.

The artillery firing contest was conducted according to the contest rules set up in conformity with the simulated tactical environment.

In the contest, the artillery sub-units powerfully demonstrated their militant marksmanship they have consolidated to the full with a high desire to perfect combat preparations, and clearly showed their full war posture.

The artillery sub-unit of the Capital City Defence Corps won the first place in the contest.

The 4th Corps of the KPA came second, the 2nd Corps third, the 8th Corps fourth and the 3rd Corps fifth.

Comrade Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction over the fact that the artillery firing contest, held to mark the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation, served as an important occasion in enhancing the training enthusiasm of our artillerymen and remarkably strengthening their militant might.

The positive utilization of the artillery force is the most important factor deciding the victory in operation and battle and furthermore in war, he said, stressing that the People’s Army should as ever put spurs to the artillery combat readiness, true to the Party’s policy of attaching importance to the artillery and strengthening the artillery force and that the Party Central Committee’s strategic plan for modernization of the artillery force should be thoroughly implemented within the new five-year plan for the development of the national defence.

He said that it is good to frequently organize training contests at all levels of the army on national holidays and other major occasions as seen today and the People’s Army should be engrossed only in the training for rounding off the combat preparations, adding that it is precisely the way for realizing the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung’s desire for building a powerful army and an expression of loyalty to the Party, the revolution, the country and the people and the duty of the army.

The sub-unit which won the training contest was awarded a diploma, medal and badge.

That day, Comrade Kim Jong Un met the soldiers of the successful artillery sub-unit and appreciated their high combat capability before having a photo session with officers and men.

The KPA commanding officers and artillerymen, blessed with the warm love and trust of the great brilliant commander on the auspicious spring holiday of April, hardened their pledge to devotedly defend the Party Central Committee and reliably safeguard the inviolable sovereignty and dignity of the glorious DPRK and the honor of the Korean People’s Army with remarkable success in strengthening the combat power of the artillery.