Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has announced that Pyongyang will introduce a policy of pursuing both nuclear forces and conventional weapons at the upcoming party congress, as reported by state media on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim made these remarks during his inspection of the armored defensive weapons institute and the electronic weapons institute under the Academy of Defence Sciences on Thursday and Friday. The North’s leader emphasized the necessity to continue modernizing conventional armed forces to build a strong army, as he reviewed the development of new armored vehicles and electronic weapons.
Kim stated that the ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) would propose the simultaneous advancement of nuclear forces and conventional armed forces in the realm of national defense, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea had earlier announced its plan to convene the ninth party congress at the WPK’s plenary meeting in June, without reve
aling further details.
The last party congress, which is a significant event held every five years, took place in January 2021. During this congress, the regime disclosed a series of sophisticated weapons that Kim had pledged to develop, including military spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Kim’s latest comments suggest that North Korea will enhance the development of conventional weapons alongside its nuclear and missile programs, considering South Korea’s relative advantage in conventional military firepower. During his inspection, Kim was briefed on research in armored defense, including the development of special composite armor and an “intelligent active protection system” for armored vehicles.
Additionally, he oversaw a comprehensive operation test of a new type of active protection system against various anti-tank missile attacks, as noted by the KCNA. In May, Kim visited a tank factory, emphasizing the importance of replacing existing armored weapons with advanced ta
nks and armored vehicles for modernizing the army.
Moreover, Kim supervised a shooting contest on Friday between sniper subunits from the metropolitan garrison command and the special mobile force of the central security organ, as reported by KCNA in a separate dispatch. He reiterated the importance of expanding sniper activities to impact overall military operations and emphasized the need for systematic training of the special sniper force.
Since North Korea has dispatched approximately 15,000 troops to support Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, Kim has underscored the importance of modernizing conventional weapons, strengthening field training, and enhancing combat capabilities.