North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered its military, the munitions industry and the nuclear weapons sector to accelerate war preparations to counter what he called unprecedented confrontational moves by the U.S., state media said on Thursday. Click here"He (Kim) set forth the militant tasks for the People's Army and the munitions industry, nuclear weapons and civil defence sectors to further accelerate the war preparations," KCNA said. North Korea has been expanding ties with Russia, among others, as Washington accuses Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine, while Russia provides technical support to help the North advance its military capabilities. The North has suffered serious food shortages in recent decades, including famine in the 1990s, often as a result of natural disasters. The days-long assembly of the party and government officials has been used in recent years to make key policy announcements.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 28, 2023 16:57 UTC