North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country will soon unveil plans to strengthen its nuclear forces at the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, state media reported Wednesday. The announcement follows a recent weapons test and signals Pyongyang’s intention to advance its nuclear war deterrent amid rising regional tensions.
Kim, overseeing a test‑firing of a large‑calibre multiple‑rocket launcher system, said the party congress “will clarify the next‑stage plans for further bolstering up the country’s nuclear war deterrent,” according to the state‑run Korean Central News Agency.
Photos released by state media showed Kim and his daughter watching the launch, which Pyongyang said demonstrated improvements in the system’s mobility and strike power.
“The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and a serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us,” Kim said.
The upcoming party congress, expected to be held in the coming weeks, is the first of its kind in five years and will likely outline North Korea’s strategic priorities, including further expansion and modernisation of its missile and nuclear capabilities.
South Korea and Japan have criticised recent North Korean missile launches as violations of United Nations resolutions, underlining international concern over Pyongyang’s evolving weapons programme. (Agencies)
