Top DPRK leader oversees artillery firing contest

PYONGYANG, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), oversaw on Wednesday a firing contest involving artillery sub-units of large combined units of the Korean People's Army, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.

The contest examined the sub-units' capability in carrying out a night march, combat deployment and firing attack on an unexpected enemy target in coastal regional environment and summer conditions, the report said.

Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, expressed his satisfaction with the contest and its result.

Lauding the artillery force as the core arm of the country's armed forces, Kim stressed the need to continuously and rapidly develop DPRK-style artillery tactics and combat methods.