North Korea has announced plans to launch three more military spy satellites, build military drones and expand its nuclear arsenal in 2024. It is continuing its military modernization program, which saw a record number of weapons tests this year.

Pyongyang laid one Spy satellite into orbit in November on the third attempt and started his most powerful again this month ICBM (ICBM), which is believed to have the range to fire a nuclear warhead anywhere in the United States.

“The task of launching three additional reconnaissance satellites in 2024 was declared” at the end of a five-day party meeting chaired by leader Kim Jong Un as one of the key policy decisions for 2024, the official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. .

Kim ended Saturday’s meeting with a sharp criticism of the United States, which he blamed for saying war was inevitable.

“Due to the enemies’ reckless invasion attempts, it is a fait accompli that a war may break out on the Korean Peninsula at any time,” Kim said, according to KCNA.

He ordered the military to prepare to “pacify the entire territory of South Korea,” including with nuclear bombs if necessary, in response to any attack.

Experts say North Korea wants to continue its policy of military pressure to increase its influence around November Presidential elections in the USA, where former President Donald Trump is seeking a return to power.

The last time Trump was in office, he held two summits with Kim and Kim met him in the demilitarized zone This separates the two Koreas, but although the events made many headlines, they failed to achieve a breakthrough.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has deepened political and military ties with South Korea and imposed new sanctions as Pyongyang tested more weapons.

Washington is also in action Nuclear submarines in South Korea and flew its long-range bombers in exercises with Seoul and Tokyo.

“Pyongyang may be waiting for the U.S. presidential election to see what provocations it can gain from the next administration,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, wrote in an email.

Kim said he could not ignore such U.S. operations, claiming such weapons had completely turned South Korea into a “front-line military base and nuclear arsenal” for the United States.

“If we look closely at the confrontational military actions of enemy forces, the word ‘war’ has become a realistic reality and not an abstract concept,” Kim said.

Kim said he had no choice but to advance his nuclear ambitions and build deeper ties with other countries that oppose the US. North Korea has close ties with both China and Russia.

South Koreans will also go to a general election in April that could impact the domestic and foreign policy agenda of President Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative who has maintained an aggressive stance against Pyongyang.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) warned on Thursday that there was a “high probability that North Korea could unexpectedly carry out military provocations or launch a cyberattack in 2024, when uncertain political situations are expected with the elections.”

At the end of the party meeting, Kim said he would no longer seek reconciliation and reunification with South Korea, citing the “ongoing uncontrollable crisis situation.”

Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated sharply this year as Pyongyang’s spy satellite launch prompted Seoul to partially suspend a 2018 military deal meant to help ease tensions on the peninsula. In response, North Korea said this was the case Move more troops and military equipment to the border and would not be restricted by the 2018 pact.

“I believe that viewing the people who declare us the ‘main enemy’ as opponents of reconciliation and unification is a mistake we should no longer make,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

“Can’t keep up” South Korea

Pyongyang declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power last year and has repeatedly said it will never give up its nuclear program, considering it vital to its survival.

Since the first nuclear test in 2006, the United Nations Security Council has passed numerous resolutions calling on North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs. The last test took place in 2017.

Kim promised to strengthen nuclear and missile forces, build unmanned drones, expand the submarine fleet and expand its electronic warfare capabilities in 2024, but Easley said that even with such developments the country is far behind Seoul will remain behind.

“The Kim regime may believe it can violate UN sanctions over its weapons programs with impunity, but even with support from Moscow and Beijing, Pyongyang cannot match South Korea’s sophisticated defense procurement and training coordinated with the United States and Japan.” , he said.

“Seoul is advancing in both space and drone flying. Despite North Korea’s cyber hacking and efforts to launch spy satellites, the country is likely to fall even further behind in military technology and intelligence in the new year.”

North Korea’s successful launch of a spy satellite followed two high-profile failures and occurred several months later Kim visited Russia for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who promised to help North Korea build satellites.

South Korean officials said Russian assistance likely contributed to the success of the third mission. Seoul and Washington are also concerned that Pyongyang has done this Selling weapons to Russia in exchange for such technological know-how.