Kim Jong-un Orders Nuclear Force Expansion and Intelligence Upgrades at Military Commission Meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the first enlarged meeting of the ninth Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea on July 9 at the party's Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang. The meeting set tasks to expand the functions and missions of the General Reconnaissance and Intelligence Bureau and to enhance its military reconnaissance and intelligence capabilities in a radical way.

The session decided to bolster the nuclear force both in quality and quantity, upgrade the technical infrastructure of combat systems, and advance plans to standardize, specialize, and modernize military bases.

It also discussed naval modernization along with the remodeling of coal-mining regions nationwide and other construction projects. Kim signed seven written orders implementing major military decisions. He stated that the security and peace of the country and the people cannot be defended with willingness alone, adding that only a strong army that controls and contains threats with its powerful strength can achieve true peace.

The meeting addressed the organizational matter of dismissing, transferring, and newly appointing leading officers for key posts of the People's Army. North Korea decided to strengthen nuclear forces quantitatively and qualitatively and renew combat systems' technical infrastructure.