N. Korean troops are organizing an artillery fire competition by Reuters

By the hand of Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean mechanized troops held an artillery fire competition over the weekend as part of efforts to boost the country’s defense capabilities, state media reported on Sunday.

The exercises were conducted on Saturday, the state news agency KCNA said, and North Korea sees it as a double-edged sword that is increasingly complaining where its military activities invite international criticism when it does not normally conduct similar exercises in South Korea and the United States.

Analysts say Pyongyang wants to normalize its defense activities with the goal of eventually gaining international recognition for nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenals sanctioned by UN Security Council resolutions.

A large portion of North Korea’s traditional artillery force is deployed at http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/NORTHKOREA-MISSILES/010041BR2VH/index.html It extends along the fortified border of South Korea, where they have the opportunity to reach the farthest reaches. as a highly populated capital Seoul.

The training is “under the banner of self-defense to strengthen the state’s defense capabilities to kick-start a new era in the entire Korean People’s Army (KPA) that dominates the enthusiasm for intensive training,” the KCNA reported.

Pak Jong Chon, a member of the Political Bureau Presidium and secretary of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers ’Party, oversaw it, the KCNA said.

Pak is a general seen as a rising star in the country’s powerful army and a major player in his missile program, who rose to his current posts in September.

General Rim Kwang Il, the head of the KPA General Staff and the commanders of the participating units watched the exercises with Pak, the KCNA said.

“As soon as the commanders of the combined units issued firing orders, the cannons to competitively destroy the enemy fired the target to strike accurately,” the report says.