朝鮮官兵慶祝金正恩獲元帥稱號

After capping three days of announcements about military leadership with the news Wednesday that Mr. Kim had been given the new rank of marshal - and even calling attention to that with a 'big news is coming' report Pyongyang ordered up a meeting of the military brass and dancing on the streets.

朝鮮週三宣佈了金正恩被授予元帥頭銜的消息，它甚至事先以一則“將宣佈重大新聞”的報道來吸引人們對此事的注意。至此，朝鮮已經連續三天發佈有關軍方領導層人事變動的決定。隨後，朝鮮政府下令舉行高級軍事官員會議和街頭的舞蹈慶祝活動。

News photographers for the Korea Central News Agency and Associated Press produced pictures of shiny, happy soldiers laughing.

朝中社(Korea Central News Agency)和美聯社(Associated Press)的攝影記者發佈了神采飛揚、喜上眉梢的朝鮮官兵開懷大笑的照片。

Shortly before the dancing, they captured hundreds of officers applauding the speeches that the military's top brass gave in praise of Mr. Kim.

舞會之前不久，記者們還拍下了軍方高級將領發表讚美金正恩的演講後數百名軍官鼓掌的場面。

KCNA, in its account of the meeting, revealed that the newly-appointed Vice Marshal Hyon Yong Chol had also taken the title of chief of the general staff. That clarifies some ambiguity about whether he was the direct replacement of Ri Yong Ho, the former chief of the general staff whose ouster was announced on Monday.

朝中社在報道這次會議時透露，新任命的次帥玄永哲(Hyon Yong Chol)同時獲得了總參謀長的頭銜。此前外界對於玄永哲是否將取代李英浩(Ri Yong Ho)的疑問被徹底解開。曾任總參謀長的李英浩週一被解職。

North Korea attributed Mr. Ri's departure to illness, though few outside observers buy that. The rapid series of events suggests Mr. Kim has tamped down some type of turmoil inside the military and that senior leaders have come into line.

朝鮮稱李英浩被解職是因為健康原因，不過幾乎沒有外部觀察人士相信這種説法。短時間發生的一系列事件證明，金正恩已經平息了軍隊內部的某種混亂局面，高層領導人現在已經一條心了。

Mr. Hyon spoke at the meeting. And the KCNA English-language account gave the most details about his speech that 'offered the highest glory and the warmest congratulations to the respected supreme commander.'

玄永哲在會議上發了言。朝中社的英文報道提供了有關其演講的最詳盡信息。朝中社稱，玄永哲的演講向尊敬的最高司令官致以最大的光榮和熱烈的祝賀。

Analysts who are trying to determine whether this week's actions in North Korea signal a shift in the power balance between the military and the ruling Workers' Party are likely to zone in on this quote that KCNA attributed to Mr. Hyon:

如果有分析人士試圖弄清楚本週的事件是否意味着朝鮮軍方和執政的勞動黨(Workers' Party)之間的權力平衡發生了轉變，可以參考朝中社在報道中援引的玄永哲的發言：

'We will make ceaseless innovations in the construction of major projects for building a thriving nation and improving the standard of people's living and take the lead in implementing the WPK's intention to provide the people with a happy life under socialism, bearing in mind Kim Jong Il's patriotism.'

全體官兵將心懷金正日愛國主義，在建設強盛國家和改善人民生活的重要項目建設中不斷取得創新成就，帶頭貫徹落實朝鮮勞動黨要使人民盡情享受社會主義榮華富貴的意圖。

WPK is an abbreviation for Workers' Party of Korea. North Korea's military, estimated to be around 1 million people who are conscripted for 10 years, is responsible for more than just the defense of the nation. It also handles major construction and infrastructure projects.

據估計，朝鮮軍方擁有大約100萬官兵，服役期為10年，他們不光負責朝鮮的國防任務，還負責實施主要的建築和基礎設施項目。

That quote suggests Mr. Hyon's military will be more focused on improving the North Korean economy than menacing South Korea. But KCNA also noted Mr. Hyon's call 'to reunify the country and achieve the final victory,' North-speak for placing the South under the North's control.

從這段話來看，玄永哲所領導的軍方將更加專注於改善朝鮮經濟，而不是威嚇韓國。但是朝中社還提到了玄永哲關於實現祖國統一和主體革命事業最後勝利的呼籲，這是朝鮮方面的説法，意思就是讓韓國處於朝鮮的控制之下。