PYONGYANG, August 12 (Itar-Tass) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il noted that the Navy was particularly important to ensure security in the republic during a visit to the major Military Maritime University in Hamhung, eastern North Korea, the KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday without specifying the date of the visit. However, local media usually publish the reports on the inspections of the North Korean leader on the next day.

Kim Jong Il, who familiarized in detail with the education conditions at the university, which is named after Kim’s mother Kim Jung Suk, “who shows a particular care for the students.” “For our country, which is surrounded by the seas from three directions, the naval forces are particularly important,” KCNA quoted the North Korean leader as saying. During the inspection the head of the state was accompanied by Minister of People’s Armed Forces Kim Yong Chun, chief of the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army Lee Song Cho and other high-ranking military officials.

Foreign observers noted that the reports about Kim’s current inspection timed to coincide with the Pyongyang visit of Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jung-eun. On Tuesday it was reported that the South Korean delegation intends to stay in North Korea for another day than it was initially planned. In this respect, several analysts voice suppositions that some changes in Hyun Jung-eun’s visit in North Korea were caused by the intentions to arrange her meeting with the North Korean leader. The talks are expected to focus on the problem of releasing a South Korean company worker, who was arrested in North Korea last March for the criticism on the political system of North Korea.