North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced his commitment to launching three additional military spy satellites, expanding nuclear material production, and introducing modern attack drones in 2024. The state media reported on Sunday, emphasizing Kim’s call for “overwhelming” war readiness in response to perceived confrontational moves led by the United States.
Kim’s remarks during the five-day meeting, concluded on Saturday, indicated his intention to intensify weapons testing ahead of the U.S. presidential elections in November. Analysts suggest that Kim sees a reinforced nuclear capability as a strategic leverage for potential high-stakes diplomacy with the U.S., particularly if former President Donald Trump returns to the White House and offers the possibility of sanctions relief.
The Korean Central News Agency reported Kim’s concerns about “vicious” anti-North Korea actions by the United States and its allies, reaching unprecedented extremes in history.
Kim attributed this situation to the expansion of U.S.-South Korean military exercises and the temporary deployment of formidable U.S. military assets, including bombers and a nuclear-armed submarine, in South Korea. These measures were responses to North Korea’s weapons testing spree since the previous year.
Kim emphasized the need for an “overwhelming war response capability,” as stated by KCNA. The North Korean leader outlined plans to launch three additional military spy satellites in 2024, building upon the country’s first reconnaissance satellite launched in November.
Additionally, he underscored the importance of establishing a reliable foundation for increasing nuclear weapons, referring to facilities producing fissile materials such as weapons-grade plutonium and highly enriched uranium.
Kim also directed authorities to enhance submarine capabilities and develop various types of modern unmanned combat equipment, including armed drones.
Since the breakdown of diplomacy with former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019 over disagreements about sanctions relief for partial nuclear program surrender, Kim has consistently focused on modernizing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
