North Korean leader inspects parachuting drill

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has "guided" an intensive paratrooper exercise in person, the country's state media said Thursday, in what is seen as a response to the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint defense drill.

Kim inspected an airborne unit conducting parachuting drills and gave pep talks, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

As is usual, the KCNA did not specify the time and venue of Kim's visit.

Kim expressed satisfaction with the successful training exercise by the troops, it said.

"He put forward a new training method and way which would serve as guidelines for preparing service personnel to be capable of satisfactorily performing their combat duties," the KCNA said in an English-language report.

Kim's inspection came as South Korea and the U.S. continued an annual joint military training exercise, Ulchi Freedom Guardian, despite Pyongyang's strong protests. North Korea regards the UFG as a rehearsal for military aggression against the country.

It's the second time that the North's media has reported on Kim's so-called field guidance to the airborne unit.

In January, he observed a night jump exercise shortly after the allies announced plans to go ahead with their regular military training.

In his latest visit to the unit, Kim was accompanied by several high-ranking military officials including Hwang Pyong-so, top political officer of the Korean People's Army (KPA), and Ri Yong-gil, chief of the General Staff of the KPA, according to the KCNA. (Yonhap)