While Kim Jong Un celebrates New Year’s Eve in a huge stadium: the North Korean army is preparing for war

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Around the turn of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (39) again threatened his South Korean neighbor with a nuclear attack. Kim also ordered his country’s military to rearm and prepare for a war that could break out “at any time” on the Korean Peninsula, North Korean state media reported on Sunday. North Korea plans to launch three more spy satellites in 2024.

Kim reportedly made the comments during a five-day party meeting that ended Saturday and set out North Korea’s military, political and economic goals for 2024. Authoritarian Kim again sharply attacked the US: “The United States, which has long caused and exacerbated political instability on the Korean Peninsula, threatens our country,” Kim said on Sunday, according to state news agency KCNA.

No reconciliation with South Korea

Kim called on North Korea’s armed forces to maintain “overwhelming” capabilities for a “war response.” It is “a fact that a war could break out on the Korean Peninsula at any time due to the enemy’s reckless approach in launching an invasion of our country.”

During the party meeting, Kim said he was no longer seeking reconciliation and reunification with South Korea. He was referring to the ongoing, unmanageable crisis caused by Seoul and Washington. Regarding the military, he reportedly said: “We must respond quickly to a possible nuclear crisis and further accelerate our preparations to pacify the entire territory of South Korea by mobilizing all resources and forces, including the nuclear forces. ”

The launch of additional spy satellites in 2024 was declared one of the most important political decisions for the coming year at the end-of-year party meeting, KCNA reported. In addition, unmanned drones and electronic warfare capabilities need to be expanded. Accordingly, nuclear and missile forces should also be strengthened.

This year’s party meeting came at the end of a year in which North Korea successfully launched its first spy satellite, enshrined its status as a nuclear power in the constitution and launched its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile to date.

“Cheers” to Kim during the big New Year’s Eve party

Kim then celebrated New Year’s Eve with his wife and daughter in a gigantic stadium in Pyongyang. According to images from North Korean state television, tens of thousands of people cheered on the ruling family as they attended a performance by a group of artists. Kim’s wife clapped and smiled in turn, and Kim waved to the crowd. Once he kissed his daughter on the cheek.

At the end of the performance, the entire stadium once again erupted in cheers for Kim, an announcer reported, as images of people waving North Korean flags were shown.

Distraction from the domestic political situation?

The ruler of the country, which is largely isolated internationally, had already threatened a nuclear attack last week if his country were “provoked with nuclear weapons”. The United States and South Korea recently warned that a nuclear attack by North Korea would result in the end of Pyongyang’s leadership. The US stationed a nuclear-powered submarine in the South Korean port city of Busan in December. American bombers were also used in exercises with South Korea and Japan.

The UN Security Council has imposed numerous sanctions on the country over North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programme. Korea expert Leif Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, interpreted Kim’s statements focusing on military capabilities as a way to divert attention from the poor economic situation in the country. (AFP/a)

Source: Blick