Kim Jong Un aims for North Korea to possess an ‘unparalleled capability for war response.’
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared in his New Year’s resolution that his nation would advance its nuclear capabilities and launch three additional military satellites in 2024. State media reported on Saturday that Kim, during a meeting with the ruling Worker’s Party in Pyongyang, also expressed the intention to develop more sophisticated attack drones.
In his address, Kim criticized the United States, accusing it of engaging in expansionist activities in Asia, particularly highlighting joint military exercises with South Korea. North Korea’s overarching objective, as stated by Kim, is to attain an “overwhelming war response capability.”
Throughout the past year, North Korea has worked extensively to strengthen ties with regional allies, namely Russia and China. Kim has engaged in communication with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, even making a rare trip out of the country by train to meet the latter in person.
The Central Committee of the North Korean Workers’ Party convened in Pyongyang last week for a multi-day plenary meeting to review policies for the upcoming year. While Kim historically delivered a New Year’s Day speech, he has chosen to present the yearly recap speech at Workers’ Party meetings since 2020.
Throughout 2023, North Korea escalated its aggression, launching ballistic missiles into the sea around Japan and issuing threats of retaliation against U.S. military exercises.