North Korea to Boost Nuclear Power, Intelligence Operations
· 97 views
Pyongyang (Terror Monitor) —North Korea’s state media reported that the country plans to strengthen its nuclear capabilities “qualitatively and quantitatively” and expand the role of its military intelligence agency, which focuses on operations related to South Korea.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the issue was discussed during a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission on Thursday.
Pyongyang remains under extensive international sanctions over its nuclear program, while the two Koreas are technically still at war because the 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
According to the report, members of the military commission decided to implement measures aimed at “strengthening nuclear capabilities both qualitatively and quantitatively.” They also called for expanding the duties and missions of North Korea’s General Bureau of Reconnaissance, the country’s military intelligence agency responsible for operations related to South Korea.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the move suggests that Pyongyang increasingly views the two Koreas as “enemy” states, a shift that could replace the current armistice-based framework governing relations between the two countries.
Related Articles
US Approves $5 Billion Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia
The U.S. State Department has approved a $5 billion military equipment sale to Saudi Arabia, including guidance systems for thousands of bombs and long-range missiles. Washington said the deal would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air-defense capabilities and contribute to stability and economic development in the Gulf.
Pakistan Appoints Major General Faisal Naseer as NACTA National Coordinator
Pakistan’s federal government has appointed Major General Faisal Naseer as National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) for a three-year term. Naseer, a former head of the ISI’s Internal Wing, takes charge as Pakistan faces rising militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Israel and Greece Sign $3.5 Billion Defense Deal for Multilayered Air Defense System
Israel and Greece have signed a $3.5 billion defense agreement, their largest arms deal to date, under which Athens will acquire a multilayered Israeli air defense system designed to counter ballistic missiles, drones and other aerial threats.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to Hold First Meeting Under New Joint Defense Pact
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to hold their first committee meeting in Istanbul under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, which treats an armed attack on any one of the three countries as an attack on all. The pact aims to strengthen collective defense, military coordination and cooperation in the defense industry amid rising tensions across the Middle East.