Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- A firing practice contest of tactical artillery sub-units under the large combined units of the Korean People's Army was conducted on August 11 according to the combat drill plan of the KPA General Staff for perfecting the capability to fight a war and battle readiness of the entire army.

The contest was aimed at strictly checking and judging the proficiency of the artillery sub-units of the tactical units in the fire support combat action method, and at generalizing the example of the excellent units to the entire army.

The contest was overseen by Marshal Pak Jong Chon, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and secretary of the WPK Central Committee.

He was accompanied by KPA Vice Marshal Ri Yong Gil, chief of the KPA General Staff.

The commanding officers of the KPA General Staff reviewed the contest.

The contest was attended by sub-units equipped with mortars of different calibers.

The mortar sub-units, that held the fire positions via the unfavorable obstacle area under the fire command of the commanding officers of the large combined units, started to carry out the missions of hitting the different enemy targets and major facilities according to the tactical duty.

Amid the rapid gun fire, the artillerymen hit and destroyed the targets in a fixed time with the crack-shot artillery marksmanship trained through intensive exercises for attaining the Party's training goals of hitting the targets without test firing.

The firing practice contest fully verified the high combat ability and the regular combat mobilization that the artillery sub-units of the tactical units improved in the course of mastering rapid mobile and surprise operations as required by the Juche-based artillery tactics and of steadily increasing the efficiency and operation of the artillery weapon systems in keeping with the aspect and development of the modern warfare.

Ri Yong Gil made public the standings of the large combined units. A citation of mater gunners was awarded to the 82 mm mortar battery of the 6th Battalion of the 55th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the 9th Corps which won the contest with the highest score and medals and badges of master gunners to its soldiers.

The firing practice contest of tactical artillery sub-units under the large combined units of the Korean People's Army served as an occasion to demonstrate the strong will of the army to thoroughly contain military gangsters in the land adjacent to the border and reliably defend the security and sovereignty of the inviolable state with overwhelming combat power. -0-