This week marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice which put a halt to fighting in the Korean War. The war was among the first of a series of conflicts involving the Cold War superpowers and their allies, and caused the deaths of over three million people, 1.2 million of them North Korean civilians killed by US carpet bombing.
North Korea’s “miraculous” ability to withstand US aggression during the Korean War shattered the air of invincibility surrounding the US military, and helped prevent a new global conflagration between the Eastern and Western blocs, Kim Jong-un said.
“The miracle of July 27, [which] the first defenders of the DPRK brought about while reliably safeguarding the outpost of anti-imperialist struggle in the eastern part of the planet, is a victory of the distinguished and ardent patriotic cause of the army and people of the DPRK, who devotedly defended the honor and sovereignty of the country and, at the same time [won] a great victory of significance in human history as they inflicted eternally indelible disgrace and defeat on US imperialism, the chieftain of aggression, and prevented a new world war,” Kim said Wednesday while paying tribute to fallen soldiers at a military cemetery in Pyongyang.
Stressing that nations which are “great in history and tradition and steadfast in succession” are “invincible,” Kim stressed that the DPRK, “the most dignified and independent, powerful country in the world, will always emerge victorious” against foes while guided by the heroism of those who forged the Korean Revolution, Sputnik reported.
Kim visited the Fatherland Liberation War Martyr’s Cemetery and the Chinese People’s Volunteers Martyrs’ Cemetery on Wednesday, accompanied by senior military officials and Korean Workers’ Party members, laying wreaths to fallen soldiers at both.
Russia and China each sent high-level delegations to North Korea to commemorate the armistice anniversary, with the Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who was greeted as a guest of honor after arriving in the country early Wednesday morning.
North Korean media said Shoigu’s visit would “significantly contribute” to the further strengthening of the “strategic and traditionally friendly” ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
MP/PR