North Korea's Kim tasks army to 'accelerate war readiness'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstered war readiness to repel what he said were unprecedented US-led confrontational moves in comments during a key political meeting tasked with setting state objectives for 2024, state media reported.

Kim’s comments indicated once again that North Korea will likely continue weapons tests to modernize its nuclear arsenal for the time being. But observers say Kim likely hopes to eventually use his boosted arsenal as leverage in diplomacy with Washington, possibly after the US presidential election in November next year.

During Wednesday’s second-day session of the ruling party’s plenary meeting, Kim set forth unspecified tasks for the military and the munitions industry to “further accelerate the war preparations" in the face of “(anti-North Korea) confrontation moves by the US and its vassal forces unprecedented in history," the official Korean Central News Agency said on Thursday.

It said Kim also clarified the party’s stance on expanding North Korea’s strategic cooperation with anti-imperialist countries amid the world’s rapidly changing geopolitical situation. KCNA said Kim spoke about the direction of the North’s dealings with South Korea as well but didn't elaborate.

The Workers’ Party meeting is expected to last several days, and state media are expected to publicize details of its discussions after it ends, likely on December 31. Experts say North Korea is expected to come up with pledges and steps to strengthen its nuclear attack capability and expand cooperation with Russia and China, which are also locked in separate confrontations with the US.

Topics to be dealt with at the meeting could include North Korea's push to operate more spy satellites following its launch of its first military reconnaissance satellite on November 21. After the November launch, North Korea said it will submit to the plenary meeting a plan to launch more satellites to improve its spaced-based surveillance capabilities on its rivals.

Since last year, North Korea has performed a barrage of missile tests in breach of UN bans, including last week's launch of the solid-fueled Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile — its most advanced weapon designed to attack the mainland US. The North has argued it has sovereign, legitimate rights to conduct such tests to deal with the expansion of US-South Korean military exercises that it views as invasion rehearsals.

Kim has refused to return to diplomacy with the US since his high-stakes diplomacy with then-President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. A main sticking point in the collapsed Kim-Trump diplomacy was how much sanctions relief North Korea would be given in return for a partial surrender of its nuclear program.