North Korea has decided on measures to strengthen its nuclear forces “quantitatively and qualitatively” as leader Kim Jong Un called for modernising its military, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
– The measures and Kim’s remarks came during an enlarged meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission on Thursday, KCNA said.
– Kim said North Korea’s security and “true peace” could only be guaranteed by building a powerful military capable of controlling all threats, according to the report.
– The meeting set plans to renew the technical infrastructure of combat systems, expand and strengthen nuclear forces, and standardise, specialise and modernise military bases, KCNA said.
– It also discussed expanding the role of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea’s military intelligence agency, to improve its reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capabilities, the report added.
– KCNA said the meeting addressed the construction of modern naval bases and upgrades to shipyard capacity, reflecting what it called a major change in the status and role of the navy.