What can we learn about the current state of the North Korean armed forces based on a recent drill?

The Rodong Sinmun, the official paper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, on October 31 featured a front-page story about North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un giving field guidance at a military firepower drill.

The story was also carried on North Korean web portal Naenara.The drill very likely took place on October 30 southeast of Pyongyang at the Taewon-ri Firing Range (this cannot be conclusively proven, but all of Kim’s appearances before and after took place in Pyongyang