North Korean Leader Urges Nuclear Arsenal Expansion to Surpass Global Powers

North Korean media reported that leader Kim Jong-un has called for efforts to expand the nation's nuclear arsenal and attain global superiority.

The Korean Central News Agency stated that the ruling Workers' Party of Korea held the second plenary meeting of its ninth Central Committee for three days starting Saturday, chaired by Kim. The meeting evaluated the success of the country's policies during the first half of the year and reviewed the agenda set by a major party conference held in February.

The plenary session reaffirmed North Korea's commitment to enlarging its nuclear forces, describing them as the core of the nation's military sovereignty and the central element in executing a deterrence or warfare strategy.

The report indicated that the plenary unanimously decided that fully establishing the state as a nuclear-armed power is the most precise and distinguished method to effectively and confidently handle the increasingly complex and unpredictable international military and political situation.

It added that "based on nuclear technology, more comprehensive, innovative, and accelerated plans will be implemented," with Kim assigning tasks to dynamically carry out work to continuously strengthen defensive assets in their own way, aiming to surpass the world.

The meeting also pledged to expedite the construction of a strategic guided missile cruiser weighing 10,000 tons, a decision previously made by the party in April.

Pyongyang reiterated its policy of classifying South Korea as its most hostile country and strongly criticized the military alliance between Seoul and Washington, including the Nuclear Consultative Group, a key nuclear deterrence meeting held earlier this month.

The report condemned the Nuclear Consultative Group, describing it as a nuclear war body intending to attack North Korea, alleging that the meeting developed detailed nuclear war scenarios, including war patterns, task sequences, drills, and operational elements.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim emphasized the necessity of fortifying the southern border, constructing new naval bases, and developing other military infrastructure to strengthen the country's defense.