While inspecting a new nuclear material production plant, Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, said, “We have confirmed the sequence for implementing our vast future plan to exponentially strengthen the national nuclear force and the guarantees for it.”

On the 4th, the Korean Central News Agency reported that the Chairman said this while giving on-the-spot guidance at a nuclear material production plant newly put into operation the previous day. Senior officials from the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Institute accompanied his on-the-spot guidance.

He said, “Under the direct leadership of the 8th Central Committee of the Party, over the past five years of the nuclear force-strengthening course, the capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material has reached a level exceeding twice the previous one.”

He stated, “The 9th Congress of the Party decided on a new five-year plan for strengthening the nuclear force to continuously enhance the nuclear war deterrent of the country,” and “adopted a strategic decision to further expand nuclear material production capacity and thereby continue to increase the number of nuclear weapons held.”

He also described nuclear weapons as “the basic guarantee that reliably ensures the honor, interests, and right to development of the country.” He said that due to “the particular nature of our revolution, which must be accompanied by a long-term confrontation with the most ferocious and brutal adversaries,” “the urgency and responsibility of the historic mission to expand the nuclear war deterrent, a powerful safety device, qualitatively and quantitatively, continuously, and at an accelerated pace, are rising even further.”

The Central News Agency also reported that an important consultative meeting related to strengthening the nuclear force was held that day.

He said, “Today we updated important figures in nuclear activities,” and that “tactical and strategic requirements were fully taken into account in building the nuclear deterrent.” He added, “We have confirmed the sequence for implementing our vast future plan to exponentially strengthen the national nuclear force and the guarantees for it,” calling it “a historic event that set a transformative milestone for upgrading nuclear capabilities.”

He stated, “Our resolve to act to defend our constitution and sovereignty and to reliably ensure the security of the state will be even more thorough and bold.”