North Korea's Kim discusses strengthening military as deadline for potential US concessions approaches
Kim Jong Un
North Korean leaderKimJong Un discussed strengthening his country'smilitarycapability with topmilitaryofficials, state media reported Sunday, with Pyongyang's end-of-yeardeadlinefor the US to offer concessions approaching.
The North promised an ominous "Christmas gift" earlier this month if Washington does not give ground by the end of December. The denuclearisation process has been largely deadlocked since the collapse of a summit in Hanoi at the start of the year.
Watch:Kim Jong Un personally inspects test of a new weapon
Pyongyang has carried out a series of static tests at its Sohae rocket facility this month, after a number of weapons launches in recent weeks,some of them described as ballistic missiles by Japan and others. NorthKoreais banned from carrying out such tests under UN sanctions.
Kimheld an enlarged meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's CentralMilitaryCommission, for which he serves as chairman.
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There, he "gave analysis and briefing on the complicated internal and external situation... to bolster up the overallarmed forcesof the country," the North's official KCNA news agency reported.
"Referring to merits and demerits in the recent work of the People's Army and matters to be rapidly overcome", KCNA said, "the Supreme Leader indicated in detail the direction and ways to be maintained" to boost thearmed forces.
"Important issues for decisive improvement of the overall national defence and core matters for the sustained and accelerated development ofmilitarycapability for self-defence," were also discussed, it added.
The report came a day after the nuclear-armed state warned Washington it would "pay dearly" over criticism of its human rights record by a US state department official.
A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson said the comments were akin to "pouring oil over burning fire" amid heightened tensions in a statement carried by KCNA.