North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has visited his army's military commanders, Pyongyang's official media said early on Friday, amid tensions over the communist state's threat to carry out a nuclear test.
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has visited his army's military commanders, Pyongyang's official media said early on Friday, amid tensions over the communist state's threat to carry out a nuclear test.
Kim met and congratulated battalion commanders and political instructors in his 1.2 million-strong military, the Korean Central News Agency said without giving the date of the visit.
North Korea sparked international alarm when it announced Tuesday it plans a nuclear test at an unspecified date in response to what it called US military threats and sanctions.
Kim was greeted with cheers and shouts of "Let's fight at the cost of our lives for the respected Supreme Commander Comrade Kim Jong Il!" the agency reported.
He warmly congratulated them for having "consolidated their battalions as a-match-for-a-hundred elite ranks of human bullets and bombs, through a vigorous drive to implement the party's military line," it added.
Present were Jo Myong-Rok, first vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission; Kim Yong-Chun, a commission member and chief of the army general staff; and Kim Il-Chol, a commission member and minister of the People's Armed Forces, the report said.
Commanders of the services and arms of the army, members of its supreme command and general officers were also said to be present.
North Korea's "Songun" or Army First policy prioritises the welfare of the force over civilians.
The North's official media has made no reference to its test threat since Tuesday's announcement by the foreign ministry. But two South Korean ministers and analysts have said they believe it is more likely than not to go ahead with its threat.
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