The Bunker Management Department of the Supreme Guard Command has expanded its patrol and technical formations to strengthen the security of the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansudae Hill in Pyongyang.
A Daily NK source in North Korea, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Friday that the Supreme Guard Command expanded the formations of its Bunker Management Department between June 17 and June 22. The move aims to strengthen emergency response capacity and eliminate the need to mobilize personnel from other technical units for seasonal and daily repairs of the statues and tunnels on Mansudae Hill.
The reorganization integrates specialized technical management personnel into the Supreme Guard Command, focusing on the security of the tunnels and maintaining secrecy. The source said the party committee of the Supreme Guard Command made this strategic decision to improve security and efficiency by including personnel with expert knowledge in the Bunker Management Department.
“An additional battalion was quickly added to the Bunker Management Department within a few days following a decision by the party committee of the Supreme Guard Command last month,” the source said. “Previously, the Bunker Management Committee had only one battalion, but it was reorganized into two battalions, including a technical company.”
Security reinforced around statues amid heightened tensions
The Supreme Guard Command believes it can now better protect the statues and tunnels on Mansudae Hill by strengthening the technical management capacity for the tunnels and creating a system that allows personnel to respond more effectively in emergencies.
“The unit’s political department told the soldiers that the unit has built a system that can respond more effectively in an emergency by expanding the formations that manage the tunnels under Mansudae Hill and improving their technical expertise. It urged them to take full responsibility for guarding the statues to the best of their abilities,” the source said.
Supreme Guard Command officials say efforts to improve security around the statues are necessary due to heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
“Within the Supreme Guard Command, they believe the move is highly significant as it strengthens the management posture and security of the statues on Mansudae Hill and the tunnels that can be used in case of emergency during the current tensions,” the source said.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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July 04, 2024 at 12:15PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)