Kim Jong Un, the North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairperson, has formalized the parallel policy of nuclear forces and conventional forces at the 9th Party Congress to be held next year. Analysts say North Korea's acceleration in developing conventional weapons, long seen as inferior, could become a new source of threat.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 13th that Chairperson Kim conducted on-site guidance on the 11th and 12th at the Academy of Defense Sciences' armor defense weapons research institute and electronic weapons research institute. He received a report on key technology development achievements jointly completed by the armor defense weapons research institute and the tank design bureau, and inspected the current research status in armor protection, including tests of special composite armor and an active protection system and the design of structures to defend against top-attack.
Chairperson Kim assessed that the introduction of directional infrared and radio jamming equipment and an active protection system had greatly strengthened the combat power of North Korea's armored forces. He went on to say, "The 9th Party Congress will present a parallel policy of nuclear forces and conventional forces in the field of defense construction," stating his position to continue pushing the modernization of conventional forces.
During this inspection, a live-fire test was also conducted for a tank equipped with a new active protection system. The agency claimed the responsiveness of the detection system and interceptor launcher was excellent and that the newly developed protection system was "highly superior." It has been four months since Chairperson Kim directly inspected a tank protection system, following an important tank factory visit in May.
On the 12th, Chairperson Kim also visited the No. 38 training base in the Pyongyang area to watch a shooting competition of sniper units. He ordered the General Staff of the Korean People's Army to prepare a plan to organize snipers across the entire military, emphasizing that "to train snipers into 'one shot, one kill' hunters, a comprehensive training base where they can experience extreme combat situations and a scientific training system are necessary."
North Korea has recently focused on special operations forces training and the modernization of conventional weapons, spurred by the war in Ukraine. The interpretation is that Chairperson Kim is simultaneously strengthening conventional power as well as nuclear and missile capabilities because the weapons usable on actual battlefields are conventional weapons.