Pyongyang - Saba:
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called today for strengthening his country's nuclear arsenal this year, during a visit to a nuclear materials production base and a nuclear weapons institute.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim praised the scientists and workers at the base for achieving "remarkable successes and amazing production results" in their work last year, as he was briefed on the process of producing nuclear materials suitable for use in weapons and their plan for 2025 and beyond.
Kim urged achieving more success in producing nuclear materials suitable for use in weapons this year and strengthening the country's nuclear forces, considering that "this year is a decisive year, as it is an important turning point in which we must carry out tasks in the important period in the context of implementing the nuclear forces enhancement line."
North Korea faces "the most unstable security situation in the world" due to its long-standing confrontation with "the fiercest enemy states," making it imperative for the country to bolster its nuclear capabilities, he added.
Pyongyang has long said its nuclear arsenal is aimed at deterring threats from Washington and its allies, who fought North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. Analysts estimate that North Korea may have produced enough fissile material to make up to 90 nuclear warheads.
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