(Corrects punctuation by adding opening quotation marks in paragraph 4)
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the volatile geopolitical situation surrounding his country means now is the time to be more prepared than ever for war, as he inspected the country’s main military university, he said on Thursday the KCNA news agency.
Kim on Wednesday provided field guidance at the Kim Jong Il Political and Military University, named after his father who died in 2011, which KCNA said is the “highest seat of military education” in the country.
North Korea has stepped up weapons development in recent years under Kim and has forged closer military and political ties with Russia, allegedly helping Moscow in its war with Ukraine in exchange for help with strategic military projects.
Kim told university staff and students that “if the enemy opts for a military confrontation with North Korea, North Korea will deal a deadly blow to the enemy without hesitation, mobilizing all means in its possession,” KCNA reported .
The DPRK is short for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name.
“Outlining the complicated international situation… and the uncertain and unstable military and political situation around the DPRK, he said now is the time to be more prepared than ever for a war,” KCNA said.
Earlier this month, Kim oversaw the test launch of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile using solid fuel, which analysts said would strengthen the North’s ability to deploy the missiles more effectively than fuel-based variants liquid.
North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of provoking military tensions by conducting what it called “war maneuvers” as the allies have conducted military drills with greater intensity and scale in recent months.