THE EMBASSY OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO SWITZERLAND
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E-mail: dprk.embassy@bluewin.ch
No 88/25 Nov 30, 2025
1. Splendid Celebrations Held to Mark 80th Founding Anniversary of KPA Air Force 2. Mausoleum of King Kyonghyo
Splendid Celebrations Held to Mark 80th Founding Anniversary of KPA Air Force Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The Air Force of the Korean People's Army has defended the dignity and prestige of the great Workers' Party of Korea with absolute loyalty, heroic fighting spirit and matchless courage and firmly protected the inviolable sovereign airspace of the DPRK and the security of its people. It is celebrating its 80th founding anniversary in its history shining with victories and glory. A celebration event took place with splendor at Kalma Airport of the 59th Kil Yong Jo Hero Flying Group of the Second Air Wing on Nov. 28 to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the KPA Air Force. Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the celebration event to congratulate and encourage all the officers and men of the heroic people's Air Force. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was accompanied by his dear daughter. Kim Jong Un first visited the bust of Hero Kil Yong Jo. Recollecting with deep emotion the worthwhile life of the hero pilot who left the indelible traces of loyalty over the sky with the steadfast spirit of defending the country and the revolution, he laid a flower before the bust of the martyr and paid tribute to him. The air force base on the east coast, the venue for the celebration event, was seething with boundless excitement and joy of the service personnel of the Air Force who would significantly celebrate the historic day, the origin of the building of the Juche-oriented air forces, in the presence of Kim Jong Un whom they have always longed for. When Kim Jong Un arrived at the airport amid the playing of welcome music, all the service personnel of the Air Force broke into enthusiastic cheers, looking up to the invincible and iron-willed commander, the great father who has ushered in a great heyday of the development of the DPRK's armed forces with his outstanding army-building idea and extraordinary military wisdom and bestowed the greatest honor to be shined in the militant course of the people's Air Force forever. The KPA Air Force courteously greeted the Supreme Commander of the armed forces of the DPRK with the highest respect. He met Air Chief Marshal Kim Kwang Hyok, commander of the KPA Air Force, and Air Marshal Om Ju Ho, political commissar of the KPA Air Force, and extended warm congratulations to all the service personnel of the Air Force. The DPRK national anthem was solemnly played. The head of the guard of honour of the KPA Air Force made a salute. Kim Jong Un paid militant salute to the colours of the KPA Air Force and its subordinate units shining with legendary military feats and reviewed the guard of honour of the KPA Air Force. Commanding officers of the combined air units at all levels of the Air Force, pilots, commanding officers of arms and missile soldiers raised stormy cheers of hurrah, looking up to the Supreme Commander. Kim Jong Un warmly congratulated them on the auspicious holiday of the people's Air Force and warmly waved back to them. Leading officials of the Party and the military attended the ceremony of welcoming Kim Jong Un. Then Kim Jong Un went up to the observation platform and watched the demonstration flight of the Air Force marking the Day of Air Men. Planes of heroic pilots of the DPRK took off one after another with deafening sound to significantly celebrate the holiday. He warmly encouraged the proud girl pilots An Ok Gyong and Son Ju Hyang, watching their demonstration flight in two-plane formation. Pilots of the Air Force, who were making demonstration flight in the presence of Kim Jong Un on the significant founding anniversary, displayed their skillful flying technique to the full, giving off beautiful tricolour vapour trails and setting off fireworks in the clear and blue sky of the country. Kim Jong Un encouraged and gave warm salute to the pilots each time whenever they displayed different combat aviation with flexible control. The pilots flied at low altitude over the observation platform to express their absolute loyalty to and the most ardent trust in Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Un met the pilots after the demonstration flight and shook hands with every one of them, praising them for demonstrating high level of aviation capable of perfectly carrying out any combat mission. Highly appreciating the aviation displayed by the girl pilots, Kim Jong Un said that they are proud comrades representing the women of the country and hoped that they would remain faithful to their duties with the honour of the Air Force and the dignity of the women of this country. The confrontation in the sky, which must be settled only by victors and losers, life and death, is a confrontation of ideology and faith before being a confrontation of arms and equipment and the victory in the battle is decided not by the ultra-modern fighters but by pilots armed with indomitable spirit, he said, adding that it is the great strength and pride of our Party, state and people to have an elite Air Force with the overwhelming political and ideological might incomparable with any army of other countries. And he had a photo taken with the pilots. Then he had a significant photo session with the service personnel of the KPA Air Force on the occasion of its 80th founding anniversary. Every honorable flight path of the people's Air Force which has made the long journey of sacred defence in the last 80 years since it was founded as the flying corps of new Korea under the leadership of the Party was a world-startling legend, he said, adding that the myths of the invincible Air Force recorded in the high and clear sky are brilliantly shining in the history of the country as a symbol of high ideological and mental power, indomitable fighting spirit and heroism of our army. He affirmed that the blue sky of the country would always be peaceful and the mightiness of the Air Force would be immortal as we have reliable service personnel of the Air Force who are performing feats during their flights of loyalty, dedicating their lives without hesitation both in the grim moments or peaceful days. At the end of the photo session, the sky of November reverberated with thunderous shouts from the service personnel of the Air Force chanting the slogan of death-defying defence to demonstrate their immutable pledge to devote their youth and lives for Kim Jong Un, the sun of eternal life and the sky of destiny, and for the future of the beloved motherland. A commemorative meeting was held with splendor to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the KPA Air Force in the presence of Kim Jong Un. Present there were Jo Yong Won, Pak Jong Chon and Jo Chun Ryong, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and other leading officials of the WPK Central Committee and the Ministry of National Defence, commanding officers, pilots and service personnel of the KPA Air Force and its discharged veterans. Kim Jong Un met the discharged generals who were specially invited to the celebrations of the Day of Air Men and highly appreciated the devoted life and feats of the veteran generals of the Air Force who devoted their whole life to strengthening the defence capability of the country's airspace. Air Chief Marshal Kim Kwang Hyok, commander of the KPA Air Force, made a commemorative report. The reporter referred to the pride of the 80-year-long history of the air forces which have grown along with the sacred history of the Party as the first service founded under the care of the great WPK and waged a honorable struggle for the country, the revolution and the people, and to the militant course of the Air force which has developed into a core service of the People's Army under the leadership of the Party. In the great era of Kim Jong Un, our Air Force is enjoying the greatest heyday of invincibleness and development as an ever-victorious heroic service, he said, adding that thanks to the great ambition and energetic leadership of the respected Supreme Commander who puts forward the strengthening of the Air Force as a crucial requirement for building a powerful army, a new era of developing the Air Force into the elite forces is being ushered in and the politico-ideological might of the Air Force and its full combat capability are being fully demonstrated. He stressed that it is the greatest happiness of the service personnel of the Air Force to hold in high esteem the great brilliant commander, the great father who instills in them an unshakable revolutionary faith and strong will to defend the country unto death in any adversity, a courage and pluck to pierce through the clouds in countless layers and endless shower of bullets without hesitation and wisdom and bravery for sure victory and meticulously leads them. Saying that the most powerful group of revolutionary soldiers demonstrating their might as the strong army for devotedly defending the Party Central Committee, the elite armed forces-this is a valuable appellation the country and the people gave to the Air Force which has always flown along the route of loyalty for 80 years and a great honor to be preserved forever by all the officers and men of the Air Force, the reporter ardently called upon all of them to more courageously fight for the eternal prosperity of the country and the security of the people, the immortal prestige and glory of the KPA Air Force, true to the ideas and leadership of Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Un made a significant speech on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KPA Air Force. Saying that he is pleased to attend the celebrations to recollect the proud history of the Air Force and pay tribute to its great 80-year-long journey, he extended warm congratulations to the valiant pilots significantly greeting the founding anniversary of the Air Force of the DPRK and all the service personnel of the Air Force who are now struggling for the defense of the airspace and the wellbeing of the people. He said that he is proud of the founding year of the Air Force which coincides with the one of the Workers' Party of Korea as the numbers etched on the colours of the Air Force tell, and its reputation as the first-born service of the People's Army and moreover, he can not but feel reverence for its honorable militant flights for 80-long years. He noted that no rhetoric can represent the long and glorious history in which the Air Force has covered its course since it was founded and all its noble and heroic undertakings. The Air Force should be counted first when we talk about a witness to the victories of the sacred defence struggle in the two centuries, he said, adding that among the three services of the KPA it has experienced more actual battles than other services in peacetime, not in wartime, and produced more than 130 heroes, including two double heroes, and dozens of hero units and sub-units since the first pilot hero of the KPA emerged. This clearly shows that the Air Force has always stood at the forefront of the struggle to protect the sovereignty and national interests, and that its distinguished military feats are holding the most brilliant place in the course of the development of the KPA, he said. He expressed his deep affection for the Air Force which has stood by him at the crucial moments that decided the destiny and future of the state and the people and guaranteed reliable security through the absolute execution without any mistake. He noted that the mission of all the services and arms of the KPA to defend the sovereignty was heavy and they received orders with the same voice, but any military group was no match for the Air Force in terms of the unconditional and perfect implementation of the orders. And the appellation of the first-born service, the eldest service of the KPA is the proud honour it gained as it was founded first in the history of building the regular armed forces of the country and the service personnel of the Air Force performed distinguished feats by always carrying out on time without fail the duty which is more important than the ones of the other services and the arms, he noted. Once ordered, our pilots never thought of their lives and their dogfight skills and the legendary tales about their air battles were the fruits of the bravery and heroism of the invincible pilots, he said. Even in the face of serious military threats and the irresistible natural disasters, they successfully carried out the orders without thinking of their only lives, and thus performed the unprecedented miracles and feats, he noted, adding this is the immortal characteristic peculiar to the Air Force. Saying that the operating area of the Air Force includes the inviolable airspace, land and waters and places of great changes, he noted that the appellation of the Air Force will as ever shine in the vanguard of leading the whole army in the worthwhile struggle calling for the feats of the revolutionary army. Noting that the Air Force will be given new strategic military assets and entrusted with a new important duty, he said that the expectations of the Party and the country for the Air Force which will play a role in the exercise of the nuclear war deterrent are very great, and that the Air Force should resolutely repulse and control all sorts of espionage acts and possible military provocations of the enemies to encroach upon the sovereign airspace of the DPRK with the overwhelming spiritual strength and offensive spirit. Saying that he firmly believes that the sky of the country will be blue and the country will be in peace forever thanks to the pilots and he extends thanks to them for displaying the service spirit of always remaining faithful to the country, he wished the heroic Air Force military feats and the pilots good health. Announcing that the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK adopted a decree on awarding the honourable Order of Kim Jong Il to the Air Force marking its 80th founding anniversary at the proposal of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK, he said that he would convey a joint congratulatory message of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK. All the participants raised enthusiastic cheers of "Hurrah!", looking up to the respected Supreme Commander who has repeatedly shown deep love and trust in the Air Force, glorifying its 80-year-long history at the zenith of the most worthy dignity and honour. He conveyed the joint congratulatory message of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK to the KPA Air Force marking its 80th founding anniversary and conferred Order of Kim Jong Il, the highest order of the DPRK, on it. He awarded the certificate of order to the commander of the Air Force and fixed Order of Kim Jong Il on the colours of the KPA Air Force. All the participants witnessed with deep emotion and joy the historic moment to be specially recorded in the history of the development of the Juche-oriented air forces. Warmly congratulating the enthusiastically cheering service personnel of the Air Force, Kim Jong Un expressed belief that all the pilots, commanding officers and service personnel of the brave air forces would glorify the 80-year-long proud history inscribed in the glorious colours with myths of continuous victory and firmly defend the dignity of the DPRK and happiness of its people. Then an art performance was given at the Myongsasimni Theatre to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KPA Air Force. Kim Jong Un enjoyed the performance together with officers and men of the Air Force. Put on the stage were numbers praising the feats performed by the heroic people's Air Force which has demonstrated its honour as the ranks of elite soldiers firmly armed with the ideas and will of the WPK, the ranks of strong soldiers that always win victory in every battle and the ranks of point-men who make a breakthrough in socialist construction. The audience were deeply moved by the stirring songs of the revolutionary army expressing the firm will of the service personnel of the Air Force who would set the eternal coordinates of their life on the flight path of defending the Party Central Committee unto death and glorify the immortal appellation of the great Kim Jong Un's Air Force and its ever-victorious history forever. The performance was acclaimed by the audience as it impressively represented through excellent artistic depiction the high ideological and spiritual world of the service personnel of the KPA Air Force and their devoted service for the country and the people. That evening the Ministry of National Defence of the DPRK hosted a banquet to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KPA Air Force. Present there on invitation were military and political commanding officers at all levels of the KPA Air Force, pilots, service personnel and discharged generals. Kim Jong Un attended the banquet together with leading officials of the Central Committee of the WPK and commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence. The venue of the banquet was wrapped in warm feelings of blood ties between the leader and the soldiers forged in the militant journey for defending the sacred sovereignty of our state and strengthening the capability for defending the airspace. The commanding officers and pilots of the Air Force expressed thanks to Kim Jong Un who bestows all kinds of loving care and privileges on the service personnel of the Air Force, spending the whole day together with them. They vowed to become the most brilliant star for defending the country and the revolution, fully demonstrating the might of the lifeguards of the Party Central Committee and the DPRK. The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KPA Air Force held with splendor in the presence of Kim Jong Un marked a significant occasion in demonstrating the unshakable faith and will of the heroic people's Air Force to steadily carry forward the glorious tradition of loyalty and feats and firmly guarantee the history of the great succession of the Juche revolution forever as befitting the first-born service of our revolutionary armed forces.
Mausoleum of King Kyonghyo Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The Mausoleum of King Kongmin is the tomb of King Kyonghyo, the 31st King of Koryo (1352-1374). It is a tomb with a stone chamber. The rectangular compound of the mausoleum is treble-terraced and elongated from east to west. It is approached up a slope by broad stairs. There is an elevation of 15 meters high between the foot of the approach and the upper terrace. Around the tomb are stone statues of sheep and tigers alternately. There are eight statues of civil officials on the middle terrace, four on either side, and eight statues similarly arranged of military officers on the lower terrace. The Mausoleum of King Kyonghyo is a typical tomb in the periods of Koryo which shows the outstanding talents of the ancestors of Koreans.
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