SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers’ Party will unveil next-stage plans for further strengthening the country’s nuclear war deterrent, KCNA state news agency reported on Wednesday.
Kim directed a successful test of a large-caliber multiple-rocket launch system on Tuesday, KCNA said. The drill demonstrated significant upgrades to the weapon’s strike power, mobility and accuracy, it quoted him as saying.
It is an important policy of the ruling Workers’ Party to build a reliable offensive capability and deterrence strategy to thwart an enemy attempt to spark an armed conflict, he said.
“This test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us,” Kim said.
South Korea and Japan on Tuesday condemned the launch of possible short-range ballistic missiles by the North towards the sea off its east coast. North Korea has defied a United Nations ban against it on ballistic missile development.
Kim did not elaborate on his comment about the upcoming congress of the ruling party, which is expected to take place some time in the next several weeks. The country has not announced the dates.
(Reporting by Jack Kim, Editing by Franklin Paul)
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