Kim Jong Un watched a major weapons test and called for strengthening North Korea’s “deadly and destructive” offensive posture as South Korea announced a plan to beef up its drone forces.
Mr Kim's push to strengthen nuclear as well as conventional military capabilities comes as Pyongyang refuses to return to talks with South Korea and the US.
The weapons test on Thursday was meant to evaluate the power of a “special mission" warhead for a tactical ballistic missile, an upgraded multiple rocket launch system and the hit accuracy of shells with an extended firing range of a self-propelled gun-howitzer, the official KCNA new agency said, adding that the warhead was aimed at “inflicting fatal damage on major targets including airfields, ports and power facilities of the enemy”.
Mr Kim implied, according to the news agency, that the tested weapons would target sites in South Korea, including US military bases.
The leader said Pyongyang’s self-defence policy included strengthening its “deadly and destructive offensive posture”, KCNA reported.
“To make the enemies feel constant uneasiness and fear is just as important an aspect of the exercise of war deterrent,” he said.
On Friday, South Korea's defence ministry announced a plan to train all its 500,000 troops as “drone warriors”.
Citing growing military threats from the North, Seoul said it planned to develop long-range exploding drones and acquire over 20,000 low-cost reconnaissance and attack drones.
South Korea also alleged that Pyongyang had received technology assistance from Russia. “North Korea is also currently receiving technology transfers from Russia, so there’s an urgent need for us to respond proactively to the changing nature of warfare and the evolving operational environment,” defence minister Ahn Gyu Bback told reporters on Friday.
He said low-cost loitering munitions like drones were becoming crucial in modern warfare, citing observations from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Ahn said the plan was to train 500,000 personnel across the army, navy, air force, and marine corps to operate drones “easily like personal firearms”.
Mr Kim has been focusing on enlarging his nuclear and missile arsenals since his high-stakes diplomacy with US president Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. He has underscored the need to build sophisticated conventional weapons as well.
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In response to the president’s outreach to restart diplomacy, Mr Kim previously indicated that talks could resume if America dropped its demand for denuclearisation of North Korea as a precondition.
He has taken a harsher position on South Korea, calling it his country's “principal enemy” and building more military structures along the rival’s heavily fortified border.
Mr Kim has also boosted his diplomatic footprint in recent years by expanding ties with Russia with his support of its war against Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Chinese president Xi Jinping visited North Korea for the first time in seven years for a meeting with Kim.
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