North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will unveil plans to bolster the country's nuclear forces at an upcoming ruling party congress, state media reported on Wednesday. The announcement follows a missile test on Tuesday that Kim described as bringing 'excruciating mental agony' to enemies. The Workers' Party congress, the first in five years, is expected in the coming weeks.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system on Tuesday, stating that the upcoming Workers' Party congress will clarify 'next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear war deterrent,' according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The test involved firing four missiles that hit a target 358.5 kilometers away in the Sea of Japan. Kim, accompanied by senior officials and his daughter Ju Ae, said the result would be 'a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us.'
Japan and South Korea condemned the launch as possible short-range ballistic missiles fired toward the sea off North Korea's east coast. Japan's Defense Ministry reported two missiles traveling about 340 and 350 kilometers before splashing down outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. South Korea's Defense Ministry detected at least one unidentified projectile. The test, the second this month, violates United Nations bans on ballistic missile development.
The landmark congress, the first in five years, is expected in late January or February. Lee Ho-ryung, a principal researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told AFP that Kim is likely to announce goals to maximize nuclear operational prowess and declare the country's nuclear capability at its peak. North Korea recently accused South Korea of drone incursions across the border, heightening tensions ahead of the meeting. The United States stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent, while Pyongyang denounces joint U.S.-South Korean drills as invasion rehearsals.
In December, North Korea test-fired long-range strategic cruise missiles and new anti-air missiles, and released photos of apparent construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine. Analysts say the tests aim to showcase weapons achievements before the congress.
