North Korea’s Kim signals party congress will focus on ‘exceptional’ military build-up

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has signalled that the country’s armed forces will play an even more “outstanding” role over the next five years – an indication that the coming party congress will map out a new defence build-up, including advances in nuclear and missile capabilities, analysts say.“The next five years will be a period when our army’s exceptional role, which no one can replace, rises even higher,” Kim said on Sunday during a visit to the Ministry of National Defence marking the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army, state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.Kim’s statement has been widely interpreted as a signal that a new five-year plan to strengthen national defence will be presented at the Ninth Workers’ Party Congress.North Korea last week announced that the party congress would be held in the second half of this month. Observers expect it to take place after February 16, the birthday of Kim’s late father and former leader Kim Jong-il.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un returns the guard of honour salute at the Ministry of National Defence on Sunday. Photo: KCNA/AFPLast month, Kim said he would use the party congress to announce next-phase plans for strengthening the country’s nuclear war deterrence capabilities.At the last congress in 2021, North Korea unveiled an ambitious list of advanced weapons systems for development, including military reconnaissance satellites, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and a nuclear-powered submarine.