PYONGYANG — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday reiterated the country's commitment to expanding and strengthening its nuclear forces during the second plenary meeting of the Ninth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. The meeting took place from Saturday to Monday.

Kim stated that exercising the country's position as a nuclear state is the only way to cope with an unpredictable and complicated global security situation. "To steadily expand and strengthen the nuclear forces ... and to thoroughly exercise the position of a nuclear weapons state is the most correct and unique way to actively and confidently cope with the unpredictable international military and political situation getting complicated in multiple ways," Kim said.

Kim blamed the U.S. for worsening bloodshed in Europe and the Middle East. "Unimaginable, astonishing incidents and events are occurring because of the gangster-like greed of hegemonic forces, making confrontations around the world more violent," he said. Additionally, he accused the U.S. and South Korea of making the security situation on the Korean Peninsula more dangerous by steadily upgrading their combined nuclear posture. Kim stated the only purpose of the U.S.-South Korea combined nuclear posture is to attack North Korea.

The North Korean leader ordered the buildup of conventional weapons and the accelerated construction of a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said, "North Korea is once again reaffirming that denuclearisation talks are off the table." Yang said North Korea would only engage in negotiations as a nuclear weapons state on an equal footing. He said such talks would imply acceptance of a minimum deterrent and require sanctions relief. The United Nations and the U.S. imposed sanctions on North Korea between 2006 and 2017, which banned the country from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to deliver them.

The party meeting highlighted a push to modernize the coal industry and redevelop mining communities. Kim described these efforts as a strategic priority. Yang noted plans to upgrade the coal industry aimed at easing chronic energy shortages. "Coal effectively remains North Korea's main energy resource," Yang said.