North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a meeting of the Seventh Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party in this photo image released by the Korean Central News Agency, Sunday. Yonhap

Defense meeting seen as bid to press US ahead of November presidential election

By Yi Whan-woo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a key defense meeting of the ruling Workers' Party and discussed "new measures to enhance nuclear war deterrence of the country," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and other state-controlled media outlets reported Sunday.

Analysts said the discussion is seen as a bid to press the Donald Trump administration over the stalled nuclear dialogue ahead of the U.S presidential election in November.

The analysts speculated, depending on the U.S. response, firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) or an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) can be possible around the 70th anniversary of the Korean War on June 25.

Cheong Wa Dae said it is analyzing what the North meant by new measures, adding "This is all we can say at this moment."

The seventh meeting of the party's Central Military Commission, according to experts, addresses as well Kim's efforts to tighten discipline within the military in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources familiar with Pyongyang said the North's Korean People's Army has been no exception from social distancing and that drills and other group activities have been "seriously affected."

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"Set forth at the meeting were new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and putting the strategic armed forces on a high alert operation in line with the general requirements for the building and development of the armed forces of the country," the KCNA said.

It added the meeting also discussed "crucial measures for considerably increasing the firepower strike ability of the artillery pieces of the Korean People's Army."

The commission is responsible for defense polices within the party and holds meetings twice or three times a year, according to analysts.

The latest gathering was the commission's first enlarged meeting presided by Kim since December when the North was suspected to test a long-range missile as a "Christmas gift" for the U.S.

"And we should note the message behind the timing of Kim presiding over the meeting again," said An Chan-il, the head of World Institute for North Korea Studies. "I'd say that Pyongyang is trying to address its presence to Washington ahead of the U.S. presidential election and that it is willing to resume military provocations if the Trump administration continues to be reluctant over the nuclear dialogue."

A former defector, An referred to his sources and argued firing of a SLBM or ICBM is on the North's table.

Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University, voiced a similar view.

"The launch of an SLBM or an ICBM can be possible around June 25 on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War," he said.

Park reckoned the meeting was to ensure military disciple amid the spread of the coronavirus.

He referred to the KCNA report that Kim specified "key issues to be constantly maintained in the military and political performance of the armed forces."

During the meeting, Kim signed seven "orders" related to military measures. They were aimed at enhancing the responsibility and roles of major military education institutions, reorganizing the military commanding system and promoting the military ranks of commanding officers.

An noted Kim gave "carrots" to at least two senior commission members ― Ri Pyong-chol and Jong Kyong-thaek ― by promoting them to higher positions for their involvement in the North's arms development.