Kim Jong-un to mark New Year with fresh deadly warning about ‘war preparations’

The secretive state’s media said on Thursday that Mr Kim had made orders to its military, munitions industry and nuclear weapons sector - while North Korea faces food shortages.

Dec 28, 2023 - 12:00
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Kim Jong-un to mark New Year with fresh deadly warning about ‘war preparations’
This picture taken on November 30, 2023 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on December 1, 2023 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) visiting the Korean People's Army Air Force Command to commemorate the Air Day, at an unknown location. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT
Kim Jong-un has ordered his party to step up their war preparations (Picture: KCNA)

When you’re one of the world’s most famous dictators, your New Years resolutions have to be pretty spectacular.

And for Kim Jong-un he seems to have stuck with the tried and tested promise to ‘prepare for war’.

Everyone’s favourite cheese-loving despot has lashed out at the US for what he has called ‘unprecedented confrontational moves’.

As a result, state media in North Korea has shared with victims of his oppressive regime his orders for the military, and munitions and nuclear weapons sectors.

At a New Year policy meeting, he also said he expects closer ties with ‘anti-imperialist’ independent countries.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited a frontline military unit today in the eastern county of Yeoncheon.

He called for an immediate retaliation to any provocation from North Korea. Mr Yoon said: ‘I urge you to immediately and firmly crush the enemy’s will for a provocation on the spot.’

At the New Year briefing, Mr Kim said 2024 will be a ‘decisive year’ for the economy as part of the country’s five-year development plan.

KCNA added: ‘He… clarified the important tasks for the new year to be dynamically pushed forward in the key industrial sectors [and called for] the stabilising of agricultural production on a high level.’

FILE - In this undated photo provided Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his daughter and an official watch what it says is an intercontinental ballistic missile launching from an undisclosed location in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads:
South Korea has raised concerns about the North Korean action (Picture: KCNA)
TOPSHOT - This picture taken on November 21, 2023 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on November 22, 2023 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the launch of a rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1' from the Sohae Satellite Launch Site in North Phyongan province. North Korea said on November 22 it had succeeded in putting a military spy satellite in orbit after two previous failures, as the US led its allies in condemning the launch as a
North Korea is said to be facing food shortages (Picture: Getty Images)

Mr Kim’s stance follows Washington accusing Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine.

US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby claimed on December 14 that the dealings had taken place.

Russia is believed to have been providing technical support in exchange for helping North Korea to advance its military capabilities.

Mr Kirby said: ‘We condemn [North Korea] for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians and further Russia’s illegitimate war.’

FILE - North Korean soldiers stand on armored vehicles with rocket launchers as they parade in Pyongyang, North Korea on Oct. 10, 2015. Hamas fighters likely used North Korean-manufactured rocket-propelled grenades during their unprecedented assault on Israel that killed over 1,400 people and saw scores taken hostage, despite Pyongyang denying its weapons arm the militant group. South Korean officials, two experts on North Korean arms and an Associated Press analysis of weapons captured on the battlefield by Israel point toward Hamas using Pyongyang's F-7 rocket-propelled grenade during their Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war now raging. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
North Korean soldiers stand on armored vehicles with rocket launchers as they parade in Pyongyang (Picture: AP)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Korean People's Army Air Force headquarters on the occasion of Aviation Day in North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 1, 2023. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Korean People’s Army Air Force headquarters on the occasion of Aviation Day in North Korea on December 1 (Picture: AP)

Mr Kim is looking to address the serious food shortages that have hit North Korea over the years, including the devastating famine in the 1990s.

It has been noted by commentators that the country’s food security has been weakened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

North Korea has suffered serious food shortages in recent decades, including famine in the 1990s, often as a result of natural disasters.

The country did enjoy an improved crop output in 2023 but South Korean officials have said that the amount is far below what is needed.

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