North Korea will further strengthen its nuclear power “both qualitatively and quantitatively,” while also expanding the role and responsibilities of its South Korea-focused military intelligence agency.
The country’s state media reported this on Friday (July 10). North Korea is under broad international sanctions over its nuclear programme. Because the 1950–53 Korean War ended without a peace treaty, North and South Korea technically remain in a state of war, the news agency AFP reported from Seoul.
The announcement came after Pyongyang repeatedly rejected conciliatory overtures from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Pyongyang has described Seoul as its “principal enemy” and declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear-armed state.
The state news agency Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the matters were discussed at Thursday’s enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party.
The meeting decided to take steps to strengthen nuclear power “both qualitatively and quantitatively,” the report said.
It also called for a major expansion of the operations and responsibilities of Pyongyang’s South Korea-focused military intelligence agency, the General Reconnaissance and Intelligence Bureau.
KCNA said the agency plays an “important role” in controlling potential enemy threats and gathering key information.
The report added that the meeting also discussed ways to boost the agency’s “military surveillance and intelligence capabilities.” Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said North Korea’s recent steps suggest Pyongyang now regards the two Koreas as “two hostile states,” which could alter the earlier armistice-based framework.
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