Kim Jong-un calls for enhanced sniper capabilities in spec ops training base visit
Published: 28 Aug. 2025, 16:16
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks to officials during his visit to a special operations training base on Aug. 27. [KCNA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/08/28/246e7da2-434c-4d8e-87bc-fd7548b0c087.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks to officials during his visit to a special operations training base on Aug. 27. [KCNA]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a special operations training base and ordered weapons upgrades and enhancements to the country’s sniper capabilities, a day after Seoul and Washington reaffirmed their willingness to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang.
The timing of Kim’s visit, reported by the state's party-run daily, the Rodong Sinmun, on Wednesday, appears aimed at rejecting the South Korea-U.S. summit’s overtures while showcasing military achievements ahead of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party.
According to the report, Kim inspected a base under the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army on Thursday, where he reviewed the training conditions of special forces and sniper units.
He praised the “high-precision long-range sniping character and superiority of the new-type sniper rifle,” which was designed and produced domestically to improve maneuverability and performance, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, adding that he "expressed satisfaction over the fact that the units were armed with the sniping weapon of new generation.”
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un test-fires a new sniper rifle during a visit to a Korean People’s Army special operations training base on April 4. [KCNA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/08/28/cbb04896-aad6-4a6f-a023-733cc9809c9e.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un test-fires a new sniper rifle during a visit to a Korean People’s Army special operations training base on April 4. [KCNA]
This is not Kim’s first visit to the facility. In April, North Korean media also released footage of him supervising live-fire drills and personally firing sniper rifles.
Kim emphasized the strategic importance of snipers, describing them as a “specially selected soldier ready to conduct independent and proactive military actions and like a hunter killing enemy soldiers with the marksmanship worthy of a crack shot in the battlefield,” the KCNA said.
Kim also hinted at the possible creation of a central sniper training center under the direct command of the General Staff, a proposal to be reviewed by the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party.
Photos released by state media showed North Korean soldiers wearing ghillie suits — camouflage gear typically used for stealth, designed to blend in with grassy terrain.
Analysts believe Kim’s continued focus on special forces training reflects lessons learned from his army's combat experience in Russia's war against Ukraine, particularly regarding modern warfare tactics. Kim visited the same base in April and May to inspect sniper gear, automatic rifles and camouflage equipment.
![Live-fire training exercises are conducted by sniper units during North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a special operations training base under the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army on Aug. 27. [KCNA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/08/28/f6b938be-4466-4df1-acb7-18de0d3e5706.jpg)
Live-fire training exercises are conducted by sniper units during North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a special operations training base under the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army on Aug. 27. [KCNA]
Observers speculate that the North Korean military is actively working to adopt antidrone tactics in response to the prominence of drone warfare in Ukraine. Kim’s calls for North Korea's "own style innovative war methods and plans for combat" and the "modernization of military equipment" lend credence to this assessment.
Although Pyongyang has not officially responded to recent developments — such as the South Korea-U.S. summit or U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about a potential North Korea-U.S. summit — experts expect a range of strategic countermeasures.
Kim’s reported plan to attend China’s Victory Day celebration on Sept. 3 signals an effort to strengthen trilateral ties with China and Russia, which analysts say could benefit North Korea’s strategic posture against the U.S.-South Korea-Japan alliance.
“The North is unlikely to enter dialogue anytime soon, given its repeated rejection of denuclearization talks,” said Oh Gyeong-seob, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. “Pyongyang will likely continue exploiting the current geopolitical environment shaped by the Ukraine war, looking for opportunities to gain leverage.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHEONG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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