Jong Un Attends Guidance of SSD (MSS) Unit [And other items on the KJU Docket]

Kim Jong Un (3rd R) greets Zhou Yongkang during a DPRK-PRC meeting in September 2010 (Photo: CCTV)

KCNA reports that Kim Jong Il conducted a guidance tour of KPA Unit 10215. Attending the guidance tour with KJI were: Senior Deputy Director (Senior Vice Minister of) of the State Security Department and NDC Member, General U Tong Chuk; Senior Deputy Director of the MPAF GPD and NDC Member, Gen. Kim Jong Gak; Chief of the KPA General Staff and co-CMC Vice Chairman, VMAR Ri Yong Ho; and co-CMC Vice Chairman and hereditary successor, Gen. Kim Jong Un. This seems to be the first occasion when KCNA reported Jong Un’s attendance of a KJI inspection of a military unit linked to the internal security apparatus. KPA Unit 10215 is part of the Ministry of State Security (State Security Department).

KCNA:

Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, inspected the command of KPA Unit 10215.
He acquainted himself with the unit’s performance of duty before watching a training of its servicemen.

They fully displayed the combat technique they tirelessly acquired everyday true to the words of Kim Jong Il that the master key to becoming a match for a hundred is to intensify the training, thus powerfully demonstrating their firm preparedness to beat back any formidable enemy.

After watching the training of the servicemen pervaded with the militant spirit of emerging ever-victorious, he expressed great satisfaction over the fact that all the officers and men have grown to be a-match-for-a hundred fighters and creditably performed their combat duty, firmly determined to safeguard with their lives the socialist system in the DPRK centered on the popular masses.

He set forth tasks to be fulfilled by the unit to increase its combat capability.

Meanwhile Dong-a Ilbo, citing Yomiuri Shimbun, reports about alleged remarks Kim Jong Un made during an inspection of Kimchaek, North Hamgyong:

The newspaper said, “This is the first time for Kim Jong Un to specifically mention something about state administration,” adding, “Kim emphasized the North’s economic recovery and improvement of the people’s livelihood.”

Sources on North Korea-China relations also quoted Kim as saying, “We have a smaller territory and population than other countries. We’re not as rich as other countries in wealth and natural resources. But we have Dear Leader Kim Il Sung (his grandfather and North Korea’s founder) and the General (his father and incumbent leader Kim Jong Il). So we can enjoy happiness and joy for generations to come.”

Kim Jong Un’s comment is seen as trying to justify the power succession of his family.

And Daily NK reports about new housing construction next to KJI’s official residence and office in central Pyongyang:

An unusual level of remodeling and reconstruction of official buildings and special villas is going on across North Korea, according to sources.

One such source inside North Korea reported today that after demolishing the No. 15 Official Residence, located in vicinity of Kim Jong Il’s current office in Pyongyang, the authorities began construction of a new building in July, a claim which has been confirmed by satellite images. . .

. . .The location is linked to Kim Jong Il’s office and other official buildings by underground tunnels fitted with an electronic train. When Kim Jong Eun was a child, he also lived there.

However, the source said he believes that the prime real estate may be undergoing a change of use.

The source also reported that in December, 2009, Kim Jong Un ordered the destruction of another special villa in Kyungsung, North Hamkyung Province, a place famous for hot springs, and the building of a new conference hall and villa with imported construction materials in its place.

Approximately ten kilometers of road and rail construction has also been going on so that the area can be reached more conveniently, the source added.