朝鲜官兵庆祝金正恩获元帅称号

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.

朝鲜周三宣布了金正恩被授予元帅头衔的消息，它甚至事先以一则“将宣布重大新闻”的报道来吸引人们对此事的注意。至此，朝鲜已经连续三天发布有关军方领导层人事变动的决定。随后，朝鲜政府下令举行高级军事官员会议和街头的舞蹈庆祝活动。

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)和美联社(Associated Press)的摄影记者发布了神采飞扬、喜上眉梢的朝鲜官兵开怀大笑的照片。

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

舞会之前不久，记者们还拍下了军方高级将领发表赞美金正恩的演讲后数百名军官鼓掌的场面。

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.

朝中社在报道这次会议时透露，新任命的次帅玄永哲(Hyon Yong Chol)同时获得了总参谋长的头衔。此前外界对于玄永哲是否将取代李英浩(Ri Yong Ho)的疑问被彻底解开。曾任总参谋长的李英浩周一被解职。

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.

朝鲜称李英浩被解职是因为健康原因，不过几乎没有外部观察人士相信这种说法。短时间发生的一系列事件证明，金正恩已经平息了军队内部的某种混乱局面，高层领导人现在已经一条心了。

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.'

玄永哲在会议上发了言。朝中社的英文报道提供了有关其演讲的最详尽信息。朝中社称，玄永哲的演讲向尊敬的最高司令官致以最大的光荣和热烈的祝贺。

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:

如果有分析人士试图弄清楚本周的事件是否意味着朝鲜军方和执政的劳动党(Workers' Party)之间的权力平衡发生了转变，可以参考朝中社在报道中援引的玄永哲的发言：

'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.'

全体官兵将心怀金正日爱国主义，在建设强盛国家和改善人民生活的重要项目建设中不断取得创新成就，带头贯彻落实朝鲜劳动党要使人民尽情享受社会主义荣华富贵的意图。

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.

据估计，朝鲜军方拥有大约100万官兵，服役期为10年，他们不光负责朝鲜的国防任务，还负责实施主要的建筑和基础设施项目。

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.

从这段话来看，玄永哲所领导的军方将更加专注于改善朝鲜经济，而不是威吓韩国。但是朝中社还提到了玄永哲关于实现祖国统一和主体革命事业最后胜利的呼吁，这是朝鲜方面的说法，意思就是让韩国处于朝鲜的控制之下。