Reuters. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered its military, the munitions industry and the nuclear weapons sector to accelerate war preparations to counter what he called unprecedented confrontational moves by the U.S., state-run broadcaster KRT reported on Thursday (December 28).
Speaking on the policy directions for the new year at a key meeting of the country's ruling party on Wednesday (December 27), Kim also said Pyongyang would expand strategic cooperation with "anti-imperialist independent" countries, KRT said.
North Korea has been expanding ties with Russia, among others, as Washington accuses Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine, while Russia provides technical support to help the North advance its military capabilities.
The 9th plenary meeting of the 8th central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea kicked off on Tuesday (December 26) to wrap up a year during which the isolated North enshrined nuclear policy in its constitution, launched a spy satellite and fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
