North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced Wednesday the ordering of the country’s military defenses to “further accelerate” war preparations, claiming it will counter “confrontational moves” from the U.S., according to the country’s state media.
The country’s state media released a statement from a key meeting between Kim and the ruling party, the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), to discuss the policy plans for the country’s next direction in 2024. The North Korean leader stated he would be setting forth “the militant tasks” of the munitions industry, nuclear weapons, civil defense sectors and army to “further accelerate the war preparations,” calling out the U.S. for it’s “confrontation[al] moves,” according to news agency KCNA. (RELATED: North Korea Says Kim Jong Un Saw US Military Bases After Spy Satellite’s Successful Launch)
“He [Kim] set forth the militant tasks for the People’s Army and the munitions industry, nuclear weapons and civil defence sectors to further accelerate the war preparations, on the basis of in-depth analysis of the grave political and military situation in the Korean peninsula which reached extreme due to the anti-DPRK confrontation moves of the U.S. and its vassal forces unprecedented in history,” the agency stated.
North Korea has previously been vocal in backing Russia’s “sacred fight” against Ukraine, driving a further wedge between the U.S. and the country.
In early September, Kim and Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin met in Russia to discuss military matters and a possible deal between the two countries. Following a tour of Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim praised the leader, stating Russia would win a “great victory” against Ukraine. (RELATED: Kim Jong Un Vows To Back Russia’s ‘Sacred Fight’ Against Ukraine During Rare Meeting With Putin)
Kim continued to state the country will “expand and develop” relationships with “anti-imperialist independent countries,” emphasizing they will “wage” a “joint action” with them.
“He [Kim] clarified the independent principle of the WPK to expand and develop the relations of strategic cooperation with the anti-imperialist independent countries and dynamically wage the anti-imperialist joint action and struggle on an international scale under the rapidly changing world geo-political situation and indicated the orientation of the external affairs and the work towards the south,” KCNA stated.
The 9th plenary meeting originally kicked off Tuesday, wrapping up a year that saw North Korea solidify nuclear policy within its constitution, launched a spy satellite as well as fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to Reuters.