In this photo provided by the Korean Central News Agency on Aug 29, 2023, Kim Jong-un (center), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, reviews the honor guard during his visit to the KPA Navy Command on Aug 27, 2023. (PHOTO / KCNA VIA AP)

SEOUL - Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has instructed the Korean People's Army (KPA) Navy to rapidly develop its fighting capacity and make an all-out effort to get combat-ready, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday.

Kim made the instructions during his congratulatory visit to the KPA Navy Command on Sunday, one day before the country's Navy Day, in a high-profile move to celebrate the occasion and raise the morale of the country's naval force, said the report

Kim made the instructions during his congratulatory visit to the KPA Navy Command on Sunday, one day before the country's Navy Day, in a high-profile move to celebrate the occasion and raise the morale of the country's naval force, said the report.

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The top leader pointed out an imperative to expedite a substantial improvement in the modernization and fighting capacity of the KPA Navy.

"To achieve the successes in rapidly developing the naval force has become a very urgent issue," Kim was quoted as saying.