Pyong Yong: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un laid out vague objectives for further boosting his military power next year at a meeting of top political figures, state media reported on Wednesday, indicating that he is looking to expand his provocative display of weapons.
Kim made his statement as tensions between North and South Korea, which are rivals, escalated this week after South Korea accused the North of using drones to cross their shared border for the first time in five years .
North Korea has already conducted a record number of missile tests this year in what experts describe as an effort to modernize its arsenal and give it more clout in future talks with the United States.
At the ongoing plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim clarified principles and directions on external relations and fighting enemies to safeguard national interests and sovereignty during Tuesday's session, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Kim also analyzed international politics and new security challenges in the Korean Peninsula.
Without going into more detail, KCNA reported that Kim "set new major goals for advancing self-sustaining defense capability in 2023 under the changing situation of multilateralism."
Some observers speculate that the new objectives may be linked to Kim's bid to boost his nuclear arsenal and introduce a number of high-tech weapons systems, including multiple-warhead missiles, more maneuverable long-range weapons, a spy satellite and advanced drones. ,
According to him, Kim would eventually like to use his increased nuclear capability to persuade the North's adversaries to recognize it as a legitimate nuclear state, which he sees as necessary to lift international sanctions against his nation.
Also Read: Iranian found dead in French River suicide investigation launched
The South Korean military fired warning shots and launched fighter jets and helicopters after what it claimed were five North Korean drones that allegedly violated South Korean airspace on Monday.
In response, South Korea has also flown surveillance equipment of its own over North Korea, most notably unmanned drones.
South Korea's military admitted it failed to shoot down the drone and apologized to the public for raising security concerns.
To more effectively monitor North Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol called for a stronger air defense system and sophisticated stealth drones.
According to some experts, the North Korean drone flights may have been planned in order to assess the readiness of South Korea and the United States and undermine an earlier inter-Korean agreement to reduce tensions.
They insist that North Korea believed that the use of drones was a low-cost but effective way to undermine South Korean unity and cause security concerns.
The conservative Yoon, who took office in May, claimed on Tuesday that South Korea had not received anti-drone training since 2017, when his liberal predecessor Moon Jae-in was sworn in.
Yoon claimed that "our people may well have seen how much relying on the North's goodwill and (peace) agreements in an apparent attempt to link the Moon's engagement policy with North Korea's allegedly lax air defense system" would be dangerous".
Moon's liberal opposition Democratic Party accused the president of trying to shift the blame for his government's failed security policy.
Also Read: Gretchen Whitmer's kidnapping plot co-leader is sentenced to 16 years in prison
South Korea's defense ministry said it is developing its so-called three-axis system to strengthen preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory strike capabilities as part of a five-year weapons-building plan to counter North Korea's nuclear threats. Will work for
It claimed that to accomplish this, it would buy more stealth fighter aircraft and ballistic missile-firing submarines, operate more interceptor missiles and radars, and create more powerful, precision-guided weapons.
It was said that South Korea would also buy various types of drones to enhance its surveillance capabilities.
