The North Korean leader also highlighted the need to complete “qualitatively” the work on strengthening the security of the southern border and building new bases for naval fleets.
Pyongyang reaffirmed the development of nuclear forces and defense capabilities, to “surpass the world”, in a meeting in which it ordered to accelerate the construction of a missile-launching cruiser, the state news agency reported this Tuesday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “ordered the continuation of uninterruptedly increasing the powerful means of national defense, exhaustively and autonomously, with the aim of reaching a level capable of surpassing the world”, the state agency KCNA reported today on the results of the second plenary meeting of the 9th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, held between Saturday and Monday.
Also according to KCNA, at the meeting, it was recognized that progressively expanding and strengthening nuclear forces, and fully exercising the position of a state possessing nuclear weapons is the best way to face “the unpredictable international military and political situation, which is complicated in multiple ways”.
Kim also requested that the construction of a “10,000-ton strategic missile-launching cruiser” be accelerated, a project approved on April 4, according to the North Korean agency.
The North Korean leader also highlighted the need to complete “qualitatively” work on strengthening the security of the southern border and building new bases for naval fleets.
In terms of foreign policy, Kim once again defined South Korea as the “most hostile state”, in addition to also accusing Seoul and Washington of worsening tension with military maneuvers and sessions of the Nuclear Consultative Group (GCN).
Seoul and Washington reintroduced the denuclearization of North Korea in the report of the GCN’s last meeting on June 12, after the communique from last year’s session omitted, for the first time, references to the North Korean regime and the country’s disarmament.
Kim’s speech also included criticism of Japan, which he accused of having become a “state of war”, and references to alleged “Ukrainian neo-Nazism”, in the midst of the conflict between Kiev and Moscow, which has had the support of North Korean soldiers.
Although the KCNA news does not expressly mention China, Kim called for “strengthening the allied front with anti-imperialist and independent forces”, after Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed this month, during his visit to Pyongyang, to expand exchanges with North Korea on military matters.
