Anchor: North Korea appears to be bringing in more moderate figures to its military. The move is seen as an effort to create a positive atmosphere for declaring a formal end to the Korean War. 
Our Lee Bo-kyung has this report.

Report: North Korea recently conducted a military reshuffle on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Foundation Day of the regime. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un replaced general-level military officials and signed the appointments as the chief of the ruling Workers' Party’s Central Military Commission, not as the supreme commander of the People’s Army, a title reserved for war times or emergencies. 

It was the first time in 27 years that personnel appointments of the People’s Army were signed by the chief of the party’s central military commission. 

The move is seen as an effort to publicize North Korea as a normal and moderate country and create a positive atmosphere for declaring a formal end to the Korean War, which Pyongyang has been pushing Washington to sign. 

North Korea also appears to be replacing its top military officials with more moderate figures.

Pak Su-il, who served as the commander of a unit at the border with China, was recently named the chief of the General Staff Operations Bureau.

Analysts view that the appointment is in line with Pyongyang’s replacement of three of its top military officials with more moderate figures in May.

Meanwhile, there has been no public appearance of the leadership of the People’s Army Strategic Force, which is responsible for the North's ballistic missile units, including Commander General Kim Rak-gyom.

Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute, said this shows that North Korean leader Kim is deliberating how to handle the strategic force amid efforts to make progress in negotiations with the U.S. on the North’s denuclearization.
Lee Bo-kyung, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]