North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he wants to strengthen the country’s nuclear capacity and war preparations, given the “unprecedented” tension on the peninsula, North Korean state media reported yesterday.
On Wednesday, the second day of the year-end grand annual meeting of the Workers’ Party, the North Korean single party, Kim told the military and the munitions, nuclear weapons and civil protection sectors to “further accelerate preparations for the war”.
The leader’s speech addressed the “serious political and military situation on the Korean peninsula that has reached an extreme point unprecedented in history due to the confrontational movements of the United States and vassal forces,” said the North Korean state news agency KCNA.
On Tuesday, South Korea, the United States and Japan announced the launch of a system to share real-time information about North Korean missiles and a plan for regular exercises to counter Pyongyang’s military advances. According to KCNA, the leader also defended North Korea’s right to “expand and develop strategic cooperation relations with independent and anti-imperialist countries”, in an apparent reference to criticism of the recent rapprochement with Russia, and to participate in “ anti-imperialist struggle” on an international scale.
The West has accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia, something denied by the Asian country’s authorities. However, in October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov thanked North Korea for its support in the war against Ukraine.
The party meeting, whose duration is not known, will define political objectives for 2024, “a decisive year” for the fulfillment of the regime’s current five-year plan, said Kim, defending the reinforcement of weapons development.
The North Korean leader highlighted the need to consolidate the party’s organizational and ideological foundations, as well as to implement the strategy “through a more courageous and determined struggle, despite growing challenges and difficulties”.
In addition to foreign policy, Kim also highlighted to party members “issues that must be given priority” to strengthen North Korea’s political, labor and economic system.
Kim stressed the need to strengthen industries such as steel, chemicals, electricity generation, coal and machinery, as well as accelerating rural development and stabilizing agricultural production, giving priority to regional industries and fishing.
On Wednesday, KCNA said North Korea recorded a rare good harvest this year, as the country finished construction of new irrigation facilities ahead of schedule and met key agricultural targets.