I would take all such reports coming out of N. Korea with a grain of salt. Odds are, this is part of a larger disinformation/strategic deception operation (no doubt coordinated with Red China and 'Russia') designed to dupe the West into believing cracks are starting to develop in Kim Jong-il's country-sized gulag.
FReepmail me for more info--TTS
But showing cracks, when they don't exist, might risk needlessly emboldening the west to step up its destabilization, thinking that we are nearing a 'tipping' point. I don't know what rationalization that the DPRK leadership would have for that? One thing is for sure, security (that is to say police presence, searches, etc) in Pyongyang around this time and year end, were heightened if I recall to unprecedented levels...at least that is what some Western diplomats reported seeing around Pyongyang. It may have always been the case, but, for example, even at the Korean Central New Agency building, there are soldiers there right now with Ak-47s clearly visible (on a Japanese TV clip a few days ago).
"Kim Jong Il Inspects KPA Unit Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, inspected KPA Unit 3875. He acquainted himself with the performance of the unit's duty before looking round the serviceperson's hall, a library, a bedroom, a mess hall, a washroom and other places to learn about its management. He expressed great satisfaction over the fact that the unit has put all aspects of the servicepersons' life on a regular footing by following the way the anti-Japanese guerilla army managed its units. He dropped in at a military lecture room to watch a training of soldiers. Seeing them undergoing an intensive training without wasting time, he gave a warm pep-talk to them who were making persevering efforts to thoroughly implement the WPK's policy of training. He spared time to watch an art performance given by servicepersons of a company of the unit. He had a photo session with servicepersons of the unit. The next leg of his inspection was a sub-unit of the unit. After receiving a salute, he watched its servicepersons in training. He set forth tasks to be fulfilled to increase the combat capability of the unit, greatly pleased to learn that all commanding officers and men of the sub-unit have grown to be a-match-for-a-hundred fighters by making the training a part of their daily routine and life in warm response to the WPK's slogan "Training means a battle." He familiarized himself in detail with soldiers' service and living, going round a general lecture room, a gymnasium, an educational room, bedrooms, a mess hall and other entertainment and logistic facilities. After seeing warmly heated bedrooms, the general lecture room where a variety of materials for the political and military technical education were on display and all the entertainment and logistic facilities kept neat and tidy, he praised the servicepersons of the unit for tenaciously and methodically managing its economic life following the lifestyle of the anti-Japanese guerilla army. Warm comradeship for the soldiers is one of the noble traits of the commanding officers of the revolutionary army, he noted, calling on all of them to pay deep attention to all aspects of the soldiers' life. He gave the servicepersons of the sub-unit a pair of binoculars, a machine gun and an automatic rifle as gifts before having a photograph taken with them. He was accompanied by KPA Generals Ri Myong Su and Hyon Chol Hae. "
I agree but I think it is the US and allies pushing this agenda to contribute to destabilization of NK.
I am curious as to the source of this article. What is their political bent?