North Korean leader Kim Jong Un concluded the year with ominous warnings of a nuclear attack on Seoul and directives for a military build-up, citing the possibility of war erupting on the Korean peninsula at any moment, as reported by state media on Sunday.
During an extensive speech wrapping up five days of year-end party meetings, Kim criticized the United States and emphasized the need for his country’s armed forces to maintain an “overwhelming war response capability.” The meeting outlined plans for military development in 2024, including the launch of three additional spy satellites, the construction of unmanned drones, the enhancement of electronic warfare capabilities, and the reinforcement of nuclear and missile forces, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim accused the United States of posing various military threats and declared that it is a fait accompli that a war may break out on the Korean peninsula due to the enemies’ reckless moves for invading the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).
In response to perceived provocations, the North denounced the deployment of Washington’s strategic weapons in joint drills on the Korean peninsula as intentional nuclear war provocative moves. Kim emphasized the need for the military to rapidly respond to any possible nuclear crisis and be prepared for significant events to suppress the whole territory of South Korea, including the mobilization of nuclear forces.
Kim declared a shift in policy by stating that he would no longer seek reconciliation and reunification with South Korea, citing an “uncontrollable crisis” triggered by Seoul and Washington. Inter-Korean relations reached a low point this year, with Pyongyang’s spy satellite launch leading to the partial suspension of a 2018 military agreement aimed at defusing tensions.
In an effort to change the existing framework, Kim ordered measures for reorganizing departments handling cross-border affairs. Analysts suggest that the emphasis on military capabilities may be a tactic to divert attention from the country’s economic challenges.
Despite international calls to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, North Korea declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power in 2022 and has consistently asserted that it will not abandon its nuclear weapons program, viewing it as essential for its survival.