Kim Jong Un: North Korean Leader Wants to Increase ‘nuclear War Deterrence’

Posted on the 24 May 2020 by Thiruvenkatam Chinnagounder @tipsclear

The meeting is the first known public appearance of the North Korean leader since he attended a ceremony marking the opening of a fertilizer factory at the start of the month following worldwide speculation about his health.

Kim chaired a meeting of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to KCNA.

The KCNA did not release details but said that "crucial steps to significantly increase the striking power of Korean People's Army artillery pieces" were taken at the meeting, as were actions "putting the strategic armed forces on high alert. "

At the meeting, Kim signed seven orders, KCNA reported. The orders concerned "strengthening" the responsibility and roles of the main military educational establishments, the reorganization of the military command system "to meet the mission and duty of the security institutions" and the promotion of the military ranks of commanders , said KCNA.

The meeting also "examined and analyzed a series of drawbacks in the military and political activities of the entire armed forces of the DPRK" and discussed "methodological problems to overcome them and make drastic improvements," according to KCNA.

The meeting "served as a historic turning point of great importance to increase the capabilities of the revolutionary armed forces," according to KCNA.

US talks with North Korea stalled

North Korea stepped up missile testing earlier this year.

In late March, North Korea fired an unidentified projectile into the sea off the coast of Japan for the regime's sixth launch in less than a month.

North Korea has aggressively tested missiles in recent years, despite complaints from the United States and other countries.

Denuclearization talks with the United States stalled last fall. Kim has warned the United States that it has until the end of this year to restart negotiations.

When that deadline came and went without any movement from Washington, Kim announced in a New Year message that his country would strengthen its nuclear deterrent and would no longer be required to submit to a self-imposed moratorium on major tests of weapons.

Radina Gigova of CNN wrote and reported in Atlanta. CNN's Ralph Ellis contributed from Atlanta.

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