Pyongyang is set to aggressively boost its nuclear capabilities “both in quality and quantity” while launching a comprehensive upgrade of its military infrastructure, North Korean state media announced on Friday.
The strategy was approved during an expanded session of the ruling party’s central military commission on Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
Beyond expanding its nuclear stockpile, the regime outlines plans aimed at “standardizing, specializing and modernizing military bases” alongside overhaul efforts for its combat tech infrastructure. Furthermore, Pyongyang intends to “accelerate the construction of modern naval bases.”
During the meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized that the country’s long-term safety hinges on preserving a “strong army” equipped to neutralize any external dangers.
The policy shift follows Kim’s recent inspection of weapons tests aboard the Kang Kon, a 5,000-ton naval destroyer recently repaired after rolling over during its initial launch ceremony last year. Kim has also made explicit vows to outfit the country’s navy with nuclear capabilities.
Pyongyang has doubled down on its status as an “irreversible” nuclear power following the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit between Kim and former U.S. President Donald Trump, which fell apart over unresolved disputes regarding sanctions relief and denuclearization.
Despite enduring heavy global sanctions, the isolated state continues to defend its nuclear weapons program as a necessary shield against hostility from Washington and Seoul.
The Korean Peninsula has remained technically at war for over seven decades, as the 1950–1953 Korean War ended in a ceasefire rather than a permanent peace accord.