Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on his party to "accelerate" war preparations, specifically mentioning the nuclear program, according to state media reports on Thursday. This statement follows Kim's warning just a week ago that Pyongyang would not hesitate to launch a nuclear attack if provoked.

Kim made these comments during the ongoing year-end party meeting in North Korea, where key policy decisions for 2024 are expected to be unveiled. He urged the party to expedite war preparations across various sectors, emphasizing nuclear weapons and civil defense, citing an "extreme" military situation on the Korean peninsula due to "unprecedented" anti-North confrontations with Washington.

Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington have increased defense cooperation in response to North Korea's record-breaking series of weapons tests in the past year. The United States recently deployed a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea, and joint drills with Seoul and Tokyo involved long-range bomber flights.

North Korea successfully launched a reconnaissance satellite, enshrined its nuclear power status in its constitution, and test-fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in 2023. Kim previously defined 2023 as a "year of great turn and great change."

Analysts, including defector-turned-researcher Ahn Chan-il, predict that North Korea is likely to deploy tactical nuclear weapons near the inter-Korean border and advance its nuclear program in the new year. This move is seen as a strategy to exert pressure on South Korea and the United States while maintaining close ties with traditional allies Russia and China.

In response to increased tensions, the United States and South Korea discussed nuclear deterrence options in the event of conflict with North Korea during the second meeting of their Nuclear Consultative Group. They warned that any nuclear attack from Pyongyang would result in the end of the Kim regime. North Korea, in turn, criticized plans for expanded joint military exercises, including a nuclear operation drill, as an "open declaration on nuclear confrontation." Pyongyang declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear power last year and has consistently stated that it will not abandon its nuclear program, considering it essential for survival.