NK leader-armistice
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) — On the anniversary of the armistice that concluded the 1950-53 Korean War, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un toured the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, according to state media, and vowed to remember the sacrifices of deceased Chinese soldiers.
Kim placed a wreath at the tower the day before, stating that North Korea “would never forget the heroic actions and contributions of the fallen soldiers of the Chinese People’s Volunteers,” reported the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The truce was finalized on July 27, 1953, ending the Korean War. From 1996 onward, North Korea has observed this day as Victory Day, asserting that they emerged victorious in the Liberation War against U.S.-backed forces.
Built in 1959 in Pyongyang, the Friendship Tower honors the efforts of Chinese troops who participated in the conflict and has since become a representation of the bond between North Korea and China.
Kim has often honored the tower during previous armistice anniversaries, taking the opportunity to emphasize North Korea’s relationship with China. However, this year’s report did not reference bilateral connections, which might indicate that the relationship has not yet fully recovered.
On Saturday, Kim also toured the Patriotic Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang, according to KCNA.
While visiting the museum, Kim set down a flower basket in front of a statue depicting North Korea’s founder, Kim Il-sung, and declared a victory in the war, commending it as the “triumph of the remarkable military philosophy, Juche-based warfare approaches, and exceptional strategy and tactics” of the leader.
“Our state and its citizens are certain to accomplish the significant goal of establishing a prosperous nation with a powerful military, emerging as respected winners in the anti-imperialist, anti-U.S. confrontation,” the KCNA reported Kim as stating.
The leader of North Korea also met individually with soldiers from a battery within the 4th Corps of the Korean People’s Army and took photographs, referring to the unit as “a model in carrying out the Party’s training-first policy.”
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