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Kim Jong-un has vowed to increase the production of nuclear warheads “exponentially” and build a more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, North Korean state media reported on Sunday, signalling deepening animosities with the United States, South Korea and others.
The leader’s statement at a key ruling party meeting was released hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards its eastern waters, starting 2023 with another weapons test following a record number of missile launches last year.
“The currently established situation calls for our country doubling down our efforts to strengthen our military power overwhelmingly to safeguard our sovereignty, safety and basic national interest to cope with the dangerous military moves by the US and other hostile forces that target us,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim accused Washington and Seoul of carrying out a “plot to isolate and stifle” Pyongyang, calling it “unparalleled in human history”.
KCNA cited Kim as saying North Korea was compelled to boost the production “exponentially” to mass-produce tactical nuclear weapons.
It also said Kim has ordered the manufacturing of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile with a swift, retaliatory attack capability. Kim also reportedly said North Korea planned to soon launch its first military spy satellite.
South Korea’s military detected Sunday’s launch from the North’s capital region around 2.50am, the joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. It said the missile travelled about 400km (250 miles) before falling into the water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
The joint chiefs of staff called the launch “a grave provocation” that hurts peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and around the world. It said South Korea closely monitored North Korean moves in coordination with the US and maintained a readiness to deal with any provocations.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the launch highlighted “the destabilising impact” of North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs. It said US commitments to defend South Korea and Japan “remain ironclad”.
North Korea test-fired more than 70 missiles last year. Some experts say the country eventually aims to boost its weapons arsenals and increase pressure on its rivals to win concessions such as sanctions relief.
On Saturday, North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters.
North Korea’s state media confirmed on Sunday that the country conducted the test-firings of its super-large multiple rocket launcher to test the weapon’s capability. KCNA said three shells fired from the launcher on Saturday accurately hit an island target off its eastern coast. It said North Korea fired another shell from the launcher towards its eastern waters on Sunday.
Outside experts categorise weapons fired from the launcher as ballistic missiles because of their trajectories, ranges and other characteristics.
The North’s missile launch for a second straight day could be a response to South Korea’s recent rocket test, which is related to its plan to establish space-based surveillance to better monitor North Korea. On Friday, South Korea’s military said it test-launched a solid-fuel rocket, a type of a space launch vehicle it plans to use to put its first spy satellite into orbit in coming years.
Animosities between the rival Koreas have deepened since early last week, when South Korea accused North Korea of flying drones across the countries’ heavily fortified border for the first time in five years and sent its own drones towards the North.
South Korea acknowledged it failed to shoot down any of the five North Korean drones it said were found south of the border. But South Korea has vowed to bolster its air defence network and get tough on future provocations by North Korea.
With Associated Press and Reuters
English (US)