▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a speech during his visit to the Central Cadres Training School of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on June 1, 2026, to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the key political school for party cadres in this photo carried by the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This image, captured from footage of North Korea's state-run TV station on June 2, 2026, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C) holding a photo session with players of North Korea's women's football club Naegohyang and coaches in an event marking the 80th founding anniversary of a key political school for party cadres the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) NK leader-political school

(LEAD) N. Korea's Kim visits key political school for party cadres on its 80th founding anniv.

(ATTN: CHANGES photos; UPDATES with more details in paras 5-6)

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a key political school of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) to mark its 80th founding anniversary, calling it a "strategic fortress" ensuring the party's existence, state media reported Tuesday.

Kim paid a "congratulatory" visit to the Central Cadres Training School of the WPK the previous day, accompanied by senior party officials, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The Central Cadres Training School is North Korea's top political education institution designed to cultivate and reeducate party cadres.

The school is "now glorifying its sacred original name ... as a strategic fortress guaranteeing the existence and development of the Party," Kim was quoted as saying in a speech by the KCNA.

Kim highlighted the importance of the school's role in educating young cadres, noting that young party officials may lack party spirit amid generational shifts.

He also emphasized North Korea's people-centered policy approach will remain unchanged even in the midst of shifting times, though "anti-people acts," including abuse of power, bureaucratism and corruption, have emerged.

After looking around the facility, Kim watched a friendly match between North Korea's U-17 women's football team and its women's football club Naegohyang in celebration, according to the KCNA report.

Naegohyang Women's FC visited South Korea last month for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League and secured the top Asian women's football title. North Korea's U-17 women's football team won the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup in May.

Prior to the match, Kim warmly "took the trustworthy women players, proud daughters of the motherland, to his arms," and held a photo session with them, it said.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]