North Korea's Kim calls for training world's 'strongest' military

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un addressed his military at a two-day meeting in Pyongyang, urging them to train and become the world's strongest military force, according to state media. This call for a "Korean-style military revolution" came during a period of heightened tensions with South Korea following an explosion inside the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Seoul's military proposed discussions to clarify the border and restore communication channels, but North Korea denied Seoul's accusation of using landmines and rejected an apology. The meeting aimed to devise a plan for developing the North's armed forces to be the strongest in the world, with Kim calling for all companies within the North's army to be transformed into elite combat units.

This gathering marked the first time all of the North's army had convened since a party congress in February, where Kim had previously emphasized the need for stronger conventional forces and reaffirmed plans to develop nuclear weapons and missiles. Despite ongoing UN sanctions, North Korea has maintained its nuclear status as a legal state, with the regime consistently declaring its atomic arsenal permanent and irreversible.

North Korea has also become a close ally of Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sending troops to support Moscow's war effort for economic benefits and military technology.