North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders military to speed up war preparations

(Patria) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military, the munitions industry, and the nuclear weapons sector to accelerate preparations for war to counter what he called "unprecedented confrontational moves" by the United States, state media reported on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Addressing political directions for the new year at a key meeting of the country's ruling party, Kim also said Pyongyang would expand strategic cooperation with
"anti-imperialist independent" countries, the KCNA news agency reported.

"He (Kim) set militant tasks for the People's Army and the munitions industry, nuclear weapons and civil defense sectors to further accelerate war preparations," KCNA wrote. North Korea is expanding ties with Russia, among other things, and Washington accuses Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in the war with Ukraine, while Russia, in return, provides technical support to help Pyongyang advance its military capabilities.

Kim also outlined economic goals for the new year, calling it a "decisive year" for
achieving the country's five-year development plan, the report said. "He... clarified important tasks for the new year to dynamically move forward in key industrial sectors" and called for "stabilizing agricultural production at a high level," it added.