Kim Jong-un Wants Increased Nuclear Armed Forces, President Yoon Asks For Military Response

Illustration of North Korea's ICBM launch test. (Source: KCNA)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for the development of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and a larger nuclear arsenal to counter US-led threats, state media said on Sunday, amid rising tensions between the two competing Koreas.

At the meeting of the ruling Labor Party, Leader Kim highlighted the need to secure "extraordinary military force", to defend its sovereignty and security.

The meeting comes amid cross-border tensions over North Korea's drone intrusion to South Korea last week, and a series of North Korean missile launches, including the ICBM.

Leader Kim accused Washington and Seoul of trying to "isolate and detain" Pyongyang, with US nuclear attack assets constantly deployed in South Korea, calling it "unprecedented in human history."

He promised to develop another ICBM system "whose main mission is a rapid nuclear retaliatory attack" under plans to increase the country's nuclear power," the official KCNA news agency said.

"The existing situation requires multiple efforts to strengthen military muscles, in response to the worrying military movement by the US and other enemy forces," he said.

South Korea has become an "undeniably enemy" because it "strongly wants to build careless and dangerous weapons" and a hostile military movement, Leader Kim said.

"This highlights the importance and need for mass production of tactical nuclear weapons, calling for an exponential increase in the country's nuclear arsenal," Leader Kim said, adding this would be the "main orientation" of the country's nuclear and defense strategy.

As part of the plan, the country will also launch its first military satellite "as soon as possible" by accelerating the construction of a spy satellite that has entered final preparations, KCNA said.

The report comes hours after North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, in weapons tests on New Year's Eve.

The isolated nation also launched three ballistic missiles on Saturday, ending a year characterized by a record number of missile tests.

KCNA said in separate shipments it was testing a new super large 600mm rocket launcher capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Leader Kim praised the ammunition industry for sending 30 units of the system, calling it a "core, offensive weapon" with the rest of South Korea within its reach, and the ability to launch shocks and precision.

"We have expressed our determination to respond with nuclear for the nuclear and gross confrontation for an all-out confrontation," Kim said at Saturday's delivery ceremony, ordering stronger weapons to "completely flood US imperialist aggressive forces and their puppet troops."

Separately, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, during phone calls with military chiefs, called for "strong mental preparedness and practical training" to ensure any provocation of North Korea will be responded to with retaliation, according to a statement from his office.

Inter-Korean relations have long been tested, but have become increasingly tense since President Yoon took office in May and promised Pyongyang a tougher line.

The drone intrusion recently revived criticism of South Korean air defenses, and President Yoon on Sunday again urged the military to be ready to retaliate.

"Our military must firmly retaliate against any provocation by the enemy with the determination to fight," President Yoon told military leaders.

The latest missile launched flew about 400 kilometers (249 miles), after being fired at around 02:50 a day from the Ryongsong area in the capital Pyongyang, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

JCS strongly condemns North Korea's missile test series as a "serious provocation" and calls for an immediate cessation.

Meanwhile, Japan's coast guard said the missile reached an altitude of about 100 km and flew about 350 km. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Tokyo had protested North Korea over the launch via diplomatic channels in Beijing.