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North Korea's Kim Jong-un says arms without ideology just 'ironware' during university visit

Published: 25 Feb. 2025, 15:43

SEO JI-EUN
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gives a speech during his visit to the Kim Il Sung University of Politics on Feb. 24 in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) the next day. In a speech, Kim emphasized the "ideology-first" principle and loyalty in building a powerful military. [YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Kim Il Sung University of Politics on the 80th anniversary of its founding, stressing that "arms without ideology are little short of ironware," according to North's state media on Tuesday.

Analysts suggest Kim's visit and speech were intended to boost the military's morale and prevent unrest within the military following North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.

"Imbuing the army with ideology before arming it with military technology is the core of army building," Kim was quoted as saying during his visit made the previous day to the university, which trains political officers for the Korean People's Army (KPA), according to an English-language report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He also redefined soldiers, weapons and ideology as the "three elements of the armed forces."

Kim further stressed that the KPA must "surely become the strongest army in the world," adding, "Arms without ideology are little short of ironware, and it is a conclusion to be drawn by us once again that it is the basic way of building a powerful army to strengthen the political force of the army on a preferential basis and in a qualitative way."

Kim's speech comes amid growing concerns over North Korea’s large-scale military deployment to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.

North Korea has consistently emphasized its military's political and ideological fortification.

During the 4th Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the KPA on Nov. 14 to 15 of last year, Kim underscored the necessity of bolstering the country's nuclear forces "without limitation" and completing war preparations.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said North Korea’s focus on ideological reinforcement is linked to its overseas military dispatches and domestic military mobilization for construction projects.

"Young soldiers may find large-scale foreign deployments and construction work difficult to accept," a senior ministry official said. "This may be why Pyongyang feels the need to emphasize ideological loyalty within the military."

"Amid international criticism of North Korea’s troop dispatch to Russia, Kim appears to be emphasizing the legitimacy of the deployment," said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. "By stressing ideological armament, he seeks to reinforce military discipline and solidify regime unity."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, third from left, observes a class of students during his visit to the Kim Il Sung University of Politics, the supreme military and political school of the armed forces, in Pyongyang on Feb. 24, 2025, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. A classroom blackboard and monitors display the topic "Party Political Work During Mechanized Infantry Brigade Assault Operations," while a student's monitor shows a map resembling the city of Sacheon in South Korea. [NEWS1]

A photo released by the North's official Rodong Sinmun showed Kim observing a discussion class at the university titled "Party Political Work During Mechanized Infantry Brigade Assault Operations."

Notably, students' computer screens displayed a map of Sacheon Airfield in South Korea's South Gyeongsang.

Sacheon is a key South Korean aerospace hub, home to Korea Aerospace Industries, which developed the KF-21 fighter jet, and an advanced flight training base for South Korea’s Air Force.

"This suggests North Korea considers South Korea’s aerospace industry belt a strategic military and defense target," said Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. "The class appears to have discussed a hypothetical combat scenario involving this site."

North Korea also dispatched a Workers' Party delegation to Moscow, led by Ri Hi-yong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee.

The delegation "was welcomed at an airport by the members of the leadership of the Supreme Council of the All-Russian Party 'United Russia,'" the state media said.

Photos suggest that Kim Song-nam, director of the International Department of the Workers’ Party, accompanied the delegation.

North Korea has not disclosed the specific purpose of the visit. However, experts believe the delegation aims to assess cease-fire negotiations of the Russia-Ukraine war led by the United States and discuss follow-up measures with Russian officials.

The South Korean Unification Ministry official noted the delegation does not appear to be handling major North Korea-Russia bilateral issues, adding that the ministry will closely monitor the situation for further developments.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]