Report of Work of the KFA UK Chairman for 2025 (shortened version of the report given to the KFA UK Annual General Meeting 31.

2025 was a very significant year which saw the 80th anniversary  of Korea’s liberation from Japanese imperialist rule and the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers Party of Korea , the guiding force and organiser of people-centred socialist construction . In the DPRK last year we saw the in depth expansion of the 20x 10 regional development policy . 

The Korean Friendship Association itself saw its 25th  anniversary in November last year which was marked by the KFA International meeting in Granada (the place where KFA was founded back in 2000) on the theme of “DPRK Beacon of Hope for the World and Mankind”. The meeting was very successful drawing international participation both in person and online .

This coming year will see the 25th anniversary of the foundation of KFA UK in March . It will also see the 9th Congress of the Workers Party of Korea and the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the  Down With Imperialism Union, the forerunner of today’s Workers Party of Korea  in October .

KFA UK was able to participate one way or another in the different celebrations last year . KFA UK members travelled to Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea in October . I also attended the KFA International meeting in Spain . KFA UK hosted the European wide online  seminar for the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation under the title of” President KIM IL SUNG and self-reliance “ which attracted wide participation even outside of the borders of Europe . KFA UK also participated in the online seminar for the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the WPK  organised by international KFA in October under the title of “80 Years Of The Glorious WPK  Building The Future Of The Country “.

Without exaggeration or self-praise we can say that notwithstanding certain challenges and difficulties , that 2025 was a good year for KFA UK and a year of growth . I thank all KFA UK officials ,activists and members for their support and assistance . We could not have achieved good results without you.

2025 saw our first meeting in Scotland since 2019 . We also participated in two book fairs . I was able to speak at a packed meeting on the sideline of the Merseyside Marxist Bookfair  We held several real life meetings in London as well as many online events such as many meetings on different DPRK anniversaries as well the monthly reading sessions and the monthly film nights .We picketed the US embassy in June to mark the Month of Solidarity with the Korean people . We also picketed the hated British Brainwashing Corporation in December .

 We have good co-operation with other national KFA branches in Germany and Spain as well as KFA International .and other organisations .

We have seen the launch of two new KFA UK regional branches in Essex and Shropshire 

We have also had good co-operation with the Polish language section of Radio Belarus . I myself gave an interview to the Indian newspaper East Post and also had articles in “Covert Action Magazine “ .

We have published “People’s Korea Today “ our monthly magazine every month . It has won praise .

We have also produced KFA UK Merchandise for the first time in 3 years.

We regard to social media I will talk about Facebook and Youtube a bit later .What I can report is that we are present just about every social media ;Facebook , Twitter , VK.com , Telegram ,Tumblr and Whatsapp . On Twitter we have 10,793 followers , 896 subscribers on Telegram , 104 likes on VK.com and 333 followers on tumblr.KFA UK Scotland and KFA UK Staffordshire have established their own Telegram channels.

.

KFA UK has faced very serious challenges. Only 12 days age our Facebook page ,which had 2000 followers  was deleted and wiped out completely without warning or been given the right to appeal , at the same time my own Facebook profile was taken down for an hour and only restored when I sent a picture of my passport. This was the second time our Facebook page was deleted by Facebook , the last time was in March 2023 . The Facebook page contained pictures and videos from the DPRK . It is an obvious to me that those who control Facebook do not want people to see real pictures and footage from the DPRK and instead only want people to see what the mainstream media says .

We also had a Youtube channel and the google account associated with it deleted last year on the grounds that we had broken US sanctions policy . We lost many documents that were saved on that gmail account including materials from the last KFA UK AGM.

We also were blocked from our own online library on archive.org which meant we could not upload new editions of “People’s Korea Today “ or new books .

There was also an incident around our participation in the Wrexham Socialist Bookfair . Basically our stall received hostility from 3 individuals . Later an extremely hostile article appeared on the website Wrexham.com and the leader of the local council said the KFA UK should be banned from Wrexham ! We wrote to both Wrexham.com and the leader of the local council but they did not get us the courtesy of reply. 

I would like to move towards a situation in which we have better attended real life events and the participation is coming from our own registered members rather than members and supporters of certain parties .

That said , I am sure that this coming year 2026 will be a great year for KFA UK even better than last year. Interest in and support for the DPRK are increasing .In today’s world of upheaval and confusion People’s Korea is standing proud as a fortress of socialism , a nuclear fortress of socialism . People who previously supported Cuba or Venezuela are now interested in and attracted to People’s Korea ! 

We must further invigorate our work and plan it well. During the coming year we must organise more meetings and more pickets .

.Let ‘s us defend People’s Korea with No If or Buts 

Forward with KFA UK !

Long live People’s Korea !
Long Live the Korean Friendship Association !

Crimes of Japanese Imperialists, Sworn Enemy of Korean People

Pyongyang, February 10 (KCNA) -- The war of aggression, ignited by Japan against Korea in 1592 (Imjin Year), is sometimes called the "Hwalja (metal type) War".

This is because the Japanese aggressors wantonly looted the metal types associated with the creative wisdom and talents of the Korean people during the Imjin War.

The metal types were made in Korea for the first time in the world.

On the basis of experience gained in developing the technology of printing with wooden types in the period of Koryo (918-1392), the Korean people made metal types and used them for publishing and printing. In the period of the Feudal Joson Dynasty (1392-1910), they made hundreds of thousands of metal types to print many books such as the Chronicles of the Feudal Joson Dynasty.

Most of the metal types showing the excellence of the Korean people were looted by the Japanese aggressors during the war to seriously hinder the cultural development of Korea.

More than 200 000 metal types were plundered by the Japanese aggressor forces during the war. Japan printed books of political, military, economic and other fields by developing the printing, which was as good as scratch, with recourse to these metal types.

A Japanese scholar commented that the war was something regrettable but occasioned by it, the printing "revolution" began in Japanese society.

This sheds light on the vicious nature of Japanese aggressors.

Owing to the "Hwalja War", type foundries were all burned down and most of the bronze types disappeared in Korea, the world's first metal type maker. Since then, the type printing had suspended for about 70 years.

Japan's plunder of metal types was a brutal act of obstructing the cultural development of the Korean people. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.02.10.)

조선중앙통신 Copyright © 2000-2026 b

Speech by Kimlong Ly President of the KFA CAMBODIA On the 84th Anniversary of the Birth of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il and the 78th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Korean People’s Army

Dear Comrades, and friends

Today, we gather here in London in the spirit of respect, solidarity, and revolutionary pride to mark two profoundly significant occasions: the 84th anniversary of the birth of the Great Leader, Comrade Kim Jong Il, and the 78th anniversary of the foundation of the heroic Korean People’s Army. These anniversaries are not just merely historical milestones; they are living reminders of the strength, dignity, and resilience of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Today, I am honored to be here to speak and listen to friends of the DPRK who deeply admire the Korean people’s unwavering commitment to sovereignty, independence, and socialism.

Comrade Kim Jong Il stands in history as a strong figure of strong revolutionary leadership. He faithfully upheld and creatively developed Juche-based socialism, the great idea first pioneered by President Kim Il Sung. Juche is not just an abstract theory; but it is a people-centered philosophy that places political independence, economic self-reliance, and self-defensive national security at the heart of state-building. Under Comrade Kim Jong Il’s leadership, Juche was transformed into a powerful guiding force capable of defending socialism in one of the most hostile geopolitical environments in the world.

Closely linked to Juche is the historic role of the Korean People’s Army, founded 78 years ago. The KPA is not merely a military force; it is the pillar of the revolution, a defender of the Korean people, and a symbol of national sovereignty. Through decades of confrontation, war threats, and military encirclement, the KPA has stood firm, ensuring that the DPRK remains unconquered and respected.

It is within this historical and security context that we must understand why the DPRK is right to possess nuclear weapons.

So Today I am very happy to join all comrade and friends in the celebration of these 2 milestones and may today’s meeting be very successful. 

Thank you comrades and friends for your attention.

Report of the Meeting KIM JONG IL and Juche-based socialism and why the DPRK is right to have the nuclear deterrent 07.02 .2026

The Korean Friendship Association of the UK(KFA UK ) and the British Group For the Study of the Juche Idea organised a successful meeting on the themes of “KIM JONG IL and Juche -based socialism  and  “Why the DPRK is right to have the nuclear deterrent “ marking the 84th anniversary of the birth of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL and the 78th anniversary of the foundation of the  Korean People’s Army as a regular revolutionary armed force . The meeting was held on the 7th of February in Brixton, south London  and also streamed online via Youtube . Attending the meeting in person were members of KFA UK and the British Group For the Study of the Juche as well as the Official Delegate of KFA Cambodia plus members of the New Communist Party , a supporter of the RCPBML and progressive and anti-fascist activists . The meeting attracted online viewers from different parts of the UK as well  as Greece , Russia , Serbia , Sweden and Turkey .

Dr Dermot Hudson Chairman of the  Korean Friendship Association  UK and chairman of the British Group For the Study of the Juche Idea introduced the meeting. He refuted false propaganda against the DPRK and said there  is no Jeffrey Epstein in People’s Korea.

The DPRK Embassy in London sent a paper titled “ The legacy of KIM JONG IL “ which was read out by Dr  Hudson , the paper said in part “ The US went successively to war with Iraq, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan and went on to place the DPRK on the list of “targets of preemptive nuclear strike” and make it a policy to use nuclear weapons and deal a preemptive strike to the country, while intensifying military threats to it with huge armed forces.

But no war broke out in the Korean peninsula because Chairman Kim Jong Il (1942-2011) frustrated the US’ attempts at aggression by strengthening the country’s defence capabilities in every way.”

Ly Kimlong Official Delegate of KFA Cambodia spoke explaining that 

“ Today, I am honored to be here to speak and listen to friends of the DPRK who deeply admire the Korean people’s unwavering commitment to sovereignty, independence, and socialism.

Comrade Kim Jong Il stands in history as a strong figure of strong revolutionary leadership. He faithfully upheld and creatively developed Juche-based socialism, the great idea first pioneered by President Kim Il Sung. Juche is not just an abstract theory; but it is a people-centered philosophy that places political independence, economic self-reliance, and self-defensive national security at the heart of state-building. Under Comrade Kim Jong Il’s leadership, Juche was transformed into a powerful guiding force capable of defending socialism in one of the most hostile geopolitical environments in the world.

Closely linked to Juche is the historic role of the Korean People’s Army, founded 78 years ago. The KPA is not merely a military force; it is the pillar of the revolution, a defender of the Korean people, and a symbol of national sovereignty. Through decades of confrontation, war threats, and military encirclement, the KPA has stood firm, ensuring that the DPRK remains unconquered and respected.”

Dr Hudson denounced the US and ROK moves to “denuclearise “ the DPRK and explained in detail why the DPRK needs the nuclear deterrent  pointing out that “recent developments and ongoing events have proved the DPRK’s stance on nuclear weapons to be a 100 per cent and a 1000 per cent correct” . Dr Hudson also read out a paper from the DPRK titled “ Sovereignty is the lifeblood of a nation and its people.”

Dr Hudson made a speech on the subject of “KIM JONG IL and Juche-based socialism “ in which he described the efforts of comrade KIM JONG IL to build Juche -based socialism  , explaining that the whole life of Chairman KIM JONG IL was devoted to building a better life for the people.

Theo Russell ,Politburo member of the New Communist Party and head of the Ukraine Anti-Fascist Solidarity spoke praising the internationalist role of the DPRK and its contribution to the struggle against international fascism.

Andy Brooks, general secretary of the New Communist Party praised the DPRK for its defence of socialism .

Gareth Murphy , progressive anti-imperialist and anti-fascist activist  quoted excerpts of President KIM IL SUNG’s famous speech “On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and establishing Juche in ideological work “

Participants of the meeting praised the independent line of the DPRK.

A  letter to respected Marshal KIM JONG UN was adopted.

Literature from the DPRK and KFA UK were displayed as well as KFA UK merchandise.

The meeting concluded at 16.50

BGSJI , KFA UK and UK Preparatory Committee For the Day of the Shining Star on the 84th anniversary of the birth of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL

    

BRITISH GROUP FOR THE STUDY OF THE JUCHE IDEA 
 email juche007@yahoo.co.uk 
                       

                                                       

    London  9th of February 2026
The British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea (BGSJI),the Korean Friendship Association of the UK( KFA UK),  and the UK Preparatory Committee for the Day of the Shining Star  issued a statement on the occasion of the 84th anniversary of the birth of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il;
    

 The anniversary of the birth of comrade Kim Jong Il, the 16th of February, is celebrated by the Korean people and friends of People's Korea throughout the world as the ' Day of the Shining Star '. This is because the exploits and achievements of comrade Kim Jong Il shine like a bright star.

                           

                                                 

      Comrade Kim Jong Il was born the son of guerrillas on February 16th 1942.  Our  UK KFA  delegation visited his birthplace at Mt Paektu in August 2017. He did not come from a privileged background but was brought up in clothes made from old uniforms and spent his childhood in a simple log cabin. He witnessed the severe anti-Japanese war and later as a young boy also witnessed the Fatherland Liberation War against the US imperialist aggressors which saw not only the atrocities and devastation wrought by the US imperialists but also their defeat.

 Comrade Kim Jong Il lived a very simple life. As a student, he participated in the construction of Pyongyang. He also worked at a textile machinery factory at lathe no 26. Thus comrade Kim Jong Il was a true people's leader, always with the people sharing both hardship and joy with them. Often comrade Kim Jong Il did not celebrate his own birthday and dressed in an old parka.

                                                     

  At the beginning of the 1960s Kim Jong Il gave guidance to the historic Seoul Ryu  Kyong Su no 105 Guards Tank Division of the KPA. On the  19th of June 1964, he started work at the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. As well as practical day-to-day leadership he developed the ideology and theory of the WPK. He systematized the Juche Idea and created Kimilsungism. Because of his skills as a theoretician and ideologist plus his modest style as a people's leader, he was acclaimed as the successor to the great leader President  Kim Il Sung.
                                             
                             

 Comrade Kim Jong Il steered the DPRK through the difficult period of the "arduous march  ". Even though the DPRK faced difficulties he made sure that a high level of social benefits was maintained. Vans with soya milk for children were always seen on the streets of the DPRK in this period.
                                                                

 
     Declaring "Expect No Change from me!", comrade Kim Jong Il combated the pressure and machinations of US imperialism. He made sure that the DPRK continued firmly along the road of Juche charted by comrade Kim Il Sung by upholding the banner of Juche further supplemented it with the Songun idea and Songun politics the treasured sword for defending independence.                            

    The achievements of comrade Kim Jong Il shine brightly. Today the DPRK is the world's most independent country. It is seen as a country that does not take nonsense from any imperialists or big powers. This is the legacy of comrade Kim Jong Il, a legacy that is today further developed and carried forward by the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, the one and only successor to the Juche cause.
    

We join with the Korean people and world progressives in commemorating the great leader generalissimo Kim Jong Il on the 84th anniversary of his birth 

BGSJI
KFAUK 
UK Preparatory Committee for The Day of the Shining Star

BGSJI and KFA UK on the 14th anniversary of the award of the title of Generalissimo to the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL

            BRITISH GROUP FOR THE STUDY OF THE JUCHE IDEA 

 email juche007@yahoo.co.uk         

                                                             

                                                     

                                                       

                       
                    London 9th of February 2026

The British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea (BGSJI), the  Korean Friendship Association of the UK) and the UK Preparatory Committee for the Day of the Shining Star issued the following joint statement on the occasion of on the 14th  anniversary of the award of the title of Generalissimo to the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il.             
   The title of Generalissimo was  awarded to comrade Kim Jong Il on the 14th of February 2012 reflecting the respect of the Korean people for his devoted work in leading the defence of the independence of the country and the will of the Korean people to uphold the great leader comrade
Kim Jong Il as eternal leader.
    The great leader comrade Kim Jong Il worked tirelessly over several decades to lead and build up the Korean People's Army as the army of Juche. He started his Songun revolutionary leadership by giving guidance to the historic Seoul Ryu Kyong Su no 105 tank division of the KPA.
    The role of  Kim Jong Il was pivotal as he strengthened the Korean People's Army founded and led by Generalissimo Kim Il Sung along the path of victory and glory, honourably defending the independence of Korea and Juche socialism. His leadership ensured a war did not break out on the Korean peninsula thus making a great contribution to world peace.
 Kim Jong Il turned the DPRK into an independent self-reliant socialist military power with its own nuclear deterrent by dint of his invincible Songun revolutionary leadership and led the stand-off with US imperialism to victory, thus performing great exploits for the DPRK and world revolution.
  The title of Generalissimo was a most just and fitting award for the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il who devoted his life to the Juche revolutionary cause and achieved great exploits in the work of defending the DPRK from aggressive US imperialism.
  Our organisations recall the great exploits made by the great generalissimo Kim Jong Il in the field of military affairs and defending the DPRK from invasion.
   Today the revolutionary leadership of the great generalissimo Kim Jong Il is carried forward by the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un who has been Juche Korea into a strategic state.

BGSJI
KFA UK

From Voice of Korea-Invincible Korean People's Army

http://vok.rep.kp/index.php/detail_com/scomde/iee260109023/39/e

  Ever-victorious army is a proud appellation of the Korean People's Army and a precious honour given to the Juche-type revolutionary armed forces.

  Invincible Heroic Service

  Among the three services of the KPA, the Air Force has experienced more actual battles than other services in peacetime, not in wartime, and produced more than 130 heroes, including two double heroes, and dozens of hero units and sub-units. Therefore, it holds the most brilliant position in the course of development of the KPA.

  Since it was founded first in the history of building our regular armed forces, the Air Force has reliably defended the security of the territorial air of our state and safety of the people with its matchless bravery. This can be called the immortal characteristic peculiar to our Air Force.

  The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un always keeps in his mind Air Force units which always carried out on time without fail the duty which is more important than the ones of the other services and arms.

  On August 2, 2024, he paid a congratulatory visit to a helicopter unit of the Air Force of the KPA that wrought a miracle in air rescue operation.

  The unit had carried out in a do-or-die spirit his emergency order to rescue thousands of people isolated in the zones vulnerable to flooding in the city of Sinuiju and Uiju County of North Phyongan Province owing to a record downpour in late July that year.

  Kim Jong Un spoke highly of the matchless combat efficiency of the service personnel of the Air Force who achieved feats by giving full play to their bravery in the face of the dangerous weather conditions and to their expertise and perfectness in carrying out their successive missions.

  Saying that they left another precious and honourable record that would go down in the history of distinguished military feats of our heroic army, he affixed the Order of Freedom and Independence 1st Class to the colours of the unit.

  On November 28, 2025, he attended the celebrations of the 80th founding anniversary of the Air Force and congratulated and encouraged all the officers and men of the heroic people's Air Force.

  That day he said the confrontation in the sky, which must be settled only by victors and losers, life and death, is a confrontation of ideology and faith before being a confrontation of arms and equipment and the victory in the battle is decided not by the ultra-modern fighters but by pilots armed with indomitable spirit.  

  He added that it is the great strength and pride of our Party, state and people to have an elite Air Force with the overwhelming political and ideological might incomparable with any army of other countries.

  Thanks to the Air Force, the core and ever-victorious heroic service of the People's Army, our sky always remains blue and the defence of the sacred sovereignty of our state is firmly guaranteed.

  Radical Growth of Artillery Forces

  The use of artillery forces in modern warfare is the most important factor decisive of victory and defeat in operation, battle and war.

  The Democratic People's Republic of Korea regards it as the most important task of the line on building the Juche-oriented revolutionary armed forces to make the artillery forces the strongest arm and concentrates efforts on bolstering up the artillery forces of specially great strategic and tactical significance among all the arms of the army.

  Because the might of the artillery is precisely that of the army and whether or not the very powerful ultra-modern military hardware can fully display their performance for actual war entirely depends on the level and role of the artillerymen.

  O Jin U Artillery Academy is a pedigree establishment for training the backbone of the artillery forces of the country.

  The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, inspected the academy on September 6, 2024.

  That day he was greatly concerned about the issue of improving and adjusting the academic system and courses of the academy in a practical and efficient way in conformity with the trend of developing modern military education to help the cadets learn the practical tactics to be applied surely to actual warfare.

  He said that all the artillery commanding officers from this academy should be all-round, a-match-for-a-hundred artillerymen and artillery talents, both in name and reality, well-versed in the Juche-based artillery tactics and ultra-modern military hardware with different striking capabilities and possessed of full combat command capability for overwhelmingly containing and wiping out the enemy by coping with any situation of modern warfare rapidly and fully.

  Early in October, he guided a live artillery firing drill of graduates of academy on the eve of their appointment as active commanding officers as he had promised to make time to oversee their live firing during his inspection of the academy.

  Watching their skilled handling of artillery pieces and good marksmanship, Kim Jong Un said he could see that the academy had attached importance to the military theoretical education and the training for real war, and expressed great satisfaction over the live firing results.

  And he added that the graduates’ records are a voucher to their ability of military studies and a guarantee for the security of the country and the people.

  Afterwards, too, he guided a firing contest of artillery sub-units of large combined units to train the artillerymen into all-round and a-match-for-a-hundred ones capable of directly hitting the target at any time and in any situation.

  It is the Workers' Party of Korea's philosophy of the artillery and the core of its idea of attaching importance to the artillery to open the road of advance, overwhelmingly defeat the enemy and set off fireworks for celebrating the war victory with the artillery.

  More Extensive and Rapid Development of Naval Combat Capability

  The DPRK is a maritime country bounded on the east and west sides by the sea.

  For the geopolitical peculiarity of our country, the maritime sovereignty of the state can be defended only by its naval supremacy.

  The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un decided to make a further leap forward in our warship-building industry, regarded the rejuvenation of the warship-building industry for substantially guaranteeing a new heyday of strengthening the naval forces as the task of paramount importance that has to be implemented without fail and energetically leads it.

  In the course, a tactical nuclear attack submarine was launched on September 6, 2023 and state-of-the-art multi-mission destroyers on April 25 and June 12, 2025.

  Besides, test-fire of a strategic weapon heralding a new era of bolstering up the naval forces was conducted, the long-term plan and stage-by-stage goals for the possession of the warships were presented and the building of warships at major dockyards and the construction of a naval base for running the latest large warships are promoted as planned in the DPRK.

  At the ceremony of launching a destroyer of the Navy of the KPA on June 12, 2025, Kim Jong Un said that our Navy's creed should be that it can prevent invasion only when it is capable of counter-attacking and builds up such a capability.

  Some months later in December, he said attack destroyers and nuclear submarines recently under construction will make a leap forward in bolstering up the combat capabilities of our fleets and contribute to defending the strategic sovereignty and security of our country, adding that the DPRK will develop the navy and its strategic components in a constant and diverse way, steadily increase and expand the speed and scale of building various surface and underwater warships and continuously equip them with different offensive weapon systems.

  The super-radical growth of our Navy's operations capability is now being proved by powerful entities, not by a prediction or possibility, and this has already become an unstoppable, powerful current of history.

  Today, too, the KPA is demonstrating the might of a powerful army while reliably defending the security of the state and people and peace of the world in the sky and on the ground and seas, faithfully shouldering the sacred mission entrusted by the times and history under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Un.

From Voice of Korea-New 124th Regiments in the History of Army Building

http://vok.rep.kp/index.php/detail_com/scomde/iee260115015/39/en

  The 124th regiments of the Korean People's Army play the vanguard role in implementing the regional development policy of the Workers' Party of Korea.

  The 19th Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Party Central Committee held between January 23 and 24, 2024, discussed and decided on some issues of implementing the "Regional Development 20×10 Policy".

  On January 24, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a conclusion "On Forcefully Promoting the Implementation of the Party's 'Regional Development 20×10 Policy'".

  The meeting conveyed the order of the Chairman of the Party Central Military Commission on mobilizing units of the People's Army to the struggle for implementing the decision of the 19th Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Party Central Committee.

  So, the 124th regiments were organized.

  The first groundbreaking ceremony for realizing the "Regional Development 20×10 Policy" was held in Songchon County of South Phyongan Province in February 2024.

  Kim Jong Un participated in the ceremony and made a speech. And he personally handed over the regimental colours to the 124th regiments of the KPA which were newly formed.

  Officers and soldiers of the regiments carried out the first-year tasks of the "Regional Development 20×10 Policy" with success true to their noble name as creator and defender of the people's happiness. As a result, tens of modern regional-industry factories were built and inaugurated in 20 cities and counties by February 11, 2025.

  In 2025, the second year of implementing the regional development policy, it was officially included in the regional development policy of the Party to additionally build advanced public health facilities, scientific, educational and leisure facilities and grain management facilities in parallel with the construction of regional-industry factories.

  Thanks to the noble patriotic spirit of the officers and soldiers of the 124th regiments that they have nothing more to desire if they became the foundation supporting the national prosperity, regional-industry factories were built in 20 cities and counties in the year when their groundbreaking ceremonies were held and modern hospitals and leisure complexes were also built into model ones and inaugurated in a number of cities and counties.

  Over the past two years, the officers and soldiers of the 124th regiments of the KPA fully displayed the disposition and fighting efficiency peculiar to the army with the absolute loyalty and resolute implementation as their life in implementing the regional development policy of the Party and remained loyal to their duty.

  This year, the third year of implementing the regional development policy, a huge construction project will be simultaneously conducted in 20 regions of the country, including the construction of advanced public health facilities and leisure complexes as well as regional-industry factories.

  A grand groundbreaking ceremony took place in Unnyul County of South Hwanghae Province on January 29 to signal the start of regional development policy-oriented construction in the new year.

  The Korean people are convinced that this year's construction tasks will be much more gigantic and difficult than what we've done so far, but they will be perfectly carried out on the highest level thanks to the indefatigable fighting spirit and extraordinary efforts of the officers and soldiers of the 124th regiments.

  The 124th regiments of the KPA have their two-year history. They are new units writing the first page of their history as compared with other army units with long history of distinguished military services along with nearly 80-year history of army building.

  But they are fully displaying the disposition and mettle of the KPA in accomplishing the historic cause for national prosperity and the people and their proud feats will be continuously recorded on their colours.

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Pays Congratulatory Visit to Ministry of National Defence

 Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Pays Congratulatory Visit to Ministry of National Defence

Pyongyang, February 9 (KCNA) -- The Korean People's Army, the ever-victorious elite ranks, has formulated the new concept of a powerful army and a new law of victory with its unique ideological and moral superiority of remaining absolutely loyal to the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea, unparalleled mass heroism, matchless bravery and indomitable fighting spirit, and the honour of the revolutionary armed forces has reached its peak for its absolute might. It is marking its founding anniversary with pride, adding a page of shining victories and miracles to the great army-building history.

The KPA is adding to the greatness of the Party and the state and ushering in a new era of prosperity and development in the vanguard of the revolution advancing through struggle and transformation for the eternal prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people, true to the sacred letters embroidered on its glorious colors. Its legendary feats and dynamic advance constitute a great pride of the state and the people and a symbol of their strong dignity and inexhaustible strength.

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, paid a congratulatory visit to the Ministry of National Defence of the DPRK on February 8, the 78th founding anniversary of the KPA to congratulate and encourage all officers and men of the army.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was accompanied by Pak Jong Chon, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK and secretary of the WPK Central Committee.

All the commanding officers were filled with boundless excitement and joy as they came to greet the great brilliant commander visiting the Ministry of National Defence with his ardent desire to put his trust, deepest ever for the existence and development of the revolutionary armed forces, in them again on the significant army-founding day.

There was a solemn ceremony of greeting the Supreme Commander.

Kim Jong Un reviewed the guard of honour of the Korean People's Army.

The Ministry of National Defence presented him with bouquets of fragrant flowers reflecting the boundless reverence of all the service personnel of the People's Army for him.

He was courteously greeted by major commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and commanders of the KPA large combined units.

He reviewed the flags of victory, symbols of honour of the large combined units and combined units of the KPA at all levels.

All the participants raised stormy cheers of "Hurrah!", looking up to the greatest commander in the world who has led the Juche-based cause of building a powerful army to victory with his outstanding army-building idea and commanding art, fully demonstrating the dignity, might and fame of the armed forces and adding eternal glory to the long army-building history.

The national flag of the DPRK was hoisted.

The guard of honour of the KPA marched with pride, being reviewed by the Supreme Commander.

Kim Jong Un delivered a significant speech on the occasion of army-founding day.

In the speech, he said:

All the generals and other officers and soldiers of the heroic armed forces of the Republic,

Generals and other officers at the Ministry of National Defence, the supreme commanding organ of the Korean People's Army,

I congratulate you on the February 8 Army Founding Day.

This day, when we recall with pride our army's heroic building history and its ever-victorious course, is a revolutionary holiday which is significantly celebrated not only by the service personnel but also by all the people throughout the country.

On behalf of the Party and government, I extend warm congratulations and militant greetings to all the officers and soldiers on the occasion of Army Founding Day in reflection of my mind always thankful to our army that is playing every role and making infinite devotion for our great state and people, shouldering a great mission and heavy duty incomparable to those of other armies in the world.

I also pay my respects to the responsible efforts of the commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and the military and political cadres of the large combined units, who are doing their best to perfectly embody the military lines and policies of the Party in the military and political activities of the entire army.

In particular, I extend warm encouragement and congratulations to the commanding officers and other combatants of the overseas special operations units, who are carrying out the order of their homeland in combat positions in the faraway alien land, staking the honour of their heroic army, as I want to see them all the more today.

Comrades,

We greet this day every year, but today I have come here with a really special feeling.

As it is the day we are celebrating in the lead-up to the Ninth Party Congress, which will open soon, I feel more keenly the greatness and preciousness of our army.

In looking back upon the victorious journey of our army over the past turbulent five years as it has always been since its founding, today's glory would never be conceivable separated from the enormous role our army has played. At this thought, I can hardly find enough words to express my heartfelt thanks to all the officers and soldiers of our army.

Officers and soldiers of the KPA,

You have done really great things to support the Party's cause and defend the security of the national sovereignty and safety of the people in the vanguard of the pioneering struggle, the struggle for achieving transformation, which was challenging year after year.

I would like to praise you for having done greater things last year than you had done in all the years of the past.

Last year was a year especially filled with unheard-of dramatic events and distinguished feats that could be performed only by our army. For this, it can be called a year when the Party's and people's trust in and affection for their army grew stronger and greater.

Our army has proved before the times and history that it is its mettle and original features to quicken more enormous and vigorous strides for loyalty and feats the greater the trust in and expectation for it is.

As you are all prepared for, this is a year of tremendous transformation, when the fighting front of our army will become more widened and which will demand more strenuous efforts.

Likewise, the coming five years that will be indicated by the Ninth Congress of the Party will be years when our army's outstanding role that no one else can perform will become further enhanced.

Our Party is always filled with confidence and feels proud as if it had won the world, as it has put in the vanguard of the struggle to create a new world the revolutionary armed forces, our army, boundlessly faithful to its cause.

Comrades,

On the occasion of Army Founding Day, I offer my warm congratulations once again to all the officers and soldiers of the army, and I hope you will make more strenuous efforts.

Our brave army will further accelerate its advance for the country and the people, and its fighting course will be adorned with brilliant feats and fame.

Long live the heroic Korean People’s Army!

His speech, filled with profound trust and affection of him who always places the armed forces of the Republic in the vanguard of the drive for implementing the sacred cause of the WPK, deeply moved all the service personnel.

When he finished his speech, the service personnel chanted the slogan of loyalty to him and sang a revolutionary military song in chorus as a token of their militant enthusiasm to dedicate themselves to ensuring the eternal prosperity and security of their socialist country and the happiness of the people by regarding as stimulants of their growth and lifeblood of their destiny the trust and loving care shown by him, who injects vitality into the revolutionary armed forces to be strong, signally glorious and invincible, and by becoming the service personnel, strong in their faith, moral obligation and ideology, who never deviate from the path indicated by the Party Central Committee, fully embodying its revolutionary idea.

He had a photo session with the major commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and commanders of the large combined units of the KPA.

A ceremonial performance was given by the central military band of the Ministry of National Defence.

The festive mood on the Day of Army was further deepened by the performers' rhythmic formations ever changing to the tune of revolutionary military songs full of the militant spirit, reminiscent of a bugle signal to the entire army for an advance toward a new victory, and smart and amazing rifle-handling skills shown by KPA honour guard members.

Kim Jong Un had a photo taken with the generals and other officers of the headquarters of the ministry in commemoration of the army-founding day.

All the participants paid the highest glory and respect to the Supreme Commander who has led the service personnel step by step with his warm encouragement so that they win great victories and perform immortal exploits in the forefront of the struggle for carrying out the great cause of building a rich country with a strong army.

Kim Jong Un said that the course of eye-opening development and offensive advance of our country, which has brought about miraculous transformation and remarkable successes during the eighth term of the Party Central Committee, is associated with the undying exploits of the KPA service personnel, admirable sons and daughters of the country and the people, who have made, by their ennobling devotion and priceless feats, a breakthrough for victory and effected new upsurges in the revolution in order to bring the great transformation to be seen in the future to present reality.

From the army-founding generation to the present generation, the revolutionary nature of our army voluntarily shouldering the heavy burden for the revolution has never changed and to be proud of is the militant path it has covered by making a bold advance to gain a series of victories in the face of trials and difficulties, and yet more worthwhile and glorious is the path ahead of it, he said, adding that the worksites of gigantic struggle, to be indicated by the Ninth Congress of the Party, are calling the service personnel of the KPA, the strongest in the world, invincible and heroic.

He expressed belief that the KPA, which has deemed the decisions of the Party the absolute truth and supreme military order and always said "Yes" in response, will glorify the current era by performing miraculous exploits transcending heroism of all historical ages in the ensuing new struggle and add lustre to the honour of the present generation to be admired by posterity.

All the participants loudly chanted the slogan of "Death-defying Defence", out of their firm pledge to add eternal brilliance to the great fame and glory of the KPA which has adorned the past years with legendary victories and miracles by dint of its unique spirit and soul, always living up to its sacred title - army of the Party and army of the people.

Kim Jong Un watched a sports game of commanding officers of the ministry held in commemoration of the army-founding day.

Then he met the retired generals invited to the celebrations.

Saying that recorded in every page of the long army-building history, which always goes alongside the leadership history of the Party, is the ennobling devotion made by the retired generals who faithfully upheld the Party and the country with their unbounded self-sacrificing indomitable spirit during their long service in the revolutionary army, he had a photo session with them who dedicated themselves to bolstering up the military muscle.

His congratulatory visit to the Ministry of National Defence was a meaningful occasion for renewing the noble sense of mission of the service personnel and redoubling their efforts to remain faithful to their role as the vanguard of the revolutionary armed forces in the sacred struggle for safeguarding the national sovereignty and right to development and the people's destiny and future. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.02.09.)