North Korea's Kim Jong Un calls for military readiness against 'provocation' by enemy

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has asked the military to be on standby to respond to any “provocation” by the enemy. The development comes after Pyongyang warned to deploy stronger armed forces and new weapons along its border with the South. Tensions between North and South Korea have increased since the former launched a spy satellite, forcing South to suspend a key clause in a 2018 inter-Korean military accord.

Visiting North Korea’s air force command on Thursday to the branch’s airmen day, Kim rolled out guidelines to improve the military’s combat posture and increase “its capabilities to fight a war to the full,” news agency KCNA reported.

“He set forth operational and tactical policies … so as to counter any military provocation and threat of the enemy immediately and powerfully,” KCNA said.

Meanwhile, Kim and his daughter visited a fighter wing where pilots staged a demonstration flight.

Kim praised the air force for being “fully prepared to perfectly carry out their air combat missions under any unfavourable situation,” KCNA said.

North Korea’s spy satellite has drawn condemnation from the US and its allies, saying the country has violated multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. However, Pyongyang has said it would launch more satellites, calling it an exercise of a right to self-defense.

With inputs from Reuters