North Korea launches ‘toughest’ US strategy during key party meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key meeting of the country’s ruling party last week ahead of the new year, state media KCNA reported Sunday.

A meeting of party and government officials decided that North Korea would launch the “hardest” strategy to counter the United States for its security and national interests, the report said, without giving details.

The alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded into a “nuclear military bloc,” with South Korea becoming an “anti-communist outpost” for the US, the KCNA report added.

“This reality clearly shows in which direction we need to progress and what we need to do and how,” the statement said.

The Dec. 23-27 meeting also reviewed the handling of flooding earlier this year, including a plan to bring those affected to the capital, Pyongyang, the report said.

The withdrawn country also promised to promote relations with “friendly” countries during the meeting.

Kim also called for advances in defense, science and technology to strengthen the country’s war deterrent.

Such meetings often last several days and in recent years have been used to make key political announcements.

In a reshuffle, Pyongyang named Pak Thae Song, party secretary, as the new prime minister to replace Kim Tok Hun.

Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was appointed a member of the powerful Politburo of the party’s Central Committee.

The 11th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea ends a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim and signed an agreement that includes a mutual defense pledge.

Washington and Seoul have criticized the two countries’ military cooperation, including what they say is the sending of North Korean troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.