North Korea approves ‘stronger war deterrent’ at key military meeting
- North Korea makes a rare mention of revising its war plans during a key three-day military commission meeting
- Observers study meaning of KCNA photo that includes a map of what appeared to be the Korean peninsula east coast
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered a strengthening of the country’s defence capabilities as he wrapped up a key meeting with top military officials, state media said on Friday, raising concerns about its possible addition of tactical nuclear weapons.
The meeting has been closely watched due to growing speculation that Pyongyang could conduct its first nuclear test in five years, which US and South Korean officials have said could take place at “any time” now.
Kim presided over the three-day Enlarged Meeting of the 8th Central Military Commission where top officials “approved an important issue of providing a military guarantee for further strengthening the country’s war deterrent,” official KCNA media said.
During the meeting, North Korea made a rare mention of revising its war plans, and said it had decided to bolster the operational duties of its frontline units with “an important military action plan”.
KCNA did not elaborate on the plan, which apparently targets South Korea, analysts said.
“North Korea could have added the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons in its new operation plans given the use of the term war deterrent which it uses to refer to nuclear capabilities,” Hong Min, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said.