North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to welcome 2023 with even more missiles and nuclear threats
- With plans already afoot to further develop weapons, Kim is likely to look to continue honing his ability to deliver a credible nuclear strike against the US and its allies
- Experts say Pyongyang, which fired off 70 ballistic missiles so far this year, is unlikely to return to disarmament talks in the near term
Kim is expected to outline his plans for 2023 this week as his ruling Workers’ Party wraps up a major year-end policy-setting meeting.
The North Korean leader said during the gathering that he would strengthen the military, but details won’t be known until state media publishes a report of the meeting around New Year’s Day. Last year’s dispatch amounted to nearly 8,000 words.
With little threat of new sanctions and plans already afoot to further develop weapons including drones, submarines and missiles, Kim is likely to look to continue honing his ability to deliver a credible nuclear strike against the US and its allies.
Kim’s actions in recent months indicate a broader shift away from the country’s long-term goal of normalising ties with Washington as a buffer against China and Russia, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, who worked as an analyst for the CIA’s Open Source Enterprise for almost two decades. That means more policies designed to cope with a prolonged period of hardship, rather than exploring diplomatic overtures, she added.
