North Korea wants to “massively increase” nuclear weapons stockpile

Kim with a threat for the New Year

North Korea wants to “massively increase” nuclear weapons stockpile

North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un threatened to launch new nuclear weapons just in time for the New Year. In addition, new ICBMs are to be developed.

North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un has announced a drastic increase in his country’s nuclear arsenal. “In a situation where South Korea has undoubtedly become a clear enemy, the mass production of tactical nuclear weapons is important and necessary,” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted Kim’s speech at a plenary session of the Central Committee of his ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, which was disseminated by state media, as saying. “It is necessary to increase the number of nuclear warheads exponentially,” Kim said. He also called for the development of new ballistic ICBMs and for sending a spy satellite into space as soon as possible.

According to the report, the multi-day plenary session ended on Saturday and was dedicated to the political priorities of the leadership in Pyongyang in the new year. Already in the middle of the week, Kim had announced the expansion of his country’s military clout and “new core goals for strengthening the independent defense capability”, which should be enforced in 2023. He did not give any details at that point, which is why observers in neighboring South Korea assumed that he was referring to the goals that were formulated at a party congress in early 2021. At the time, Kim outlined a number of projects to strengthen the armed forces and expand the nuclear arsenal, including “first strike capabilities” and “retaliatory capabilities.”