Overview

• Kim announced the plan after touring defense research institutes where he oversaw tests of new armored vehicles, active protection systems and electronic weapons.
• The ruling Workers' Party congress has not been scheduled, with analysts expecting the meeting early next year.
• State media quoted Kim prioritizing conventional-force modernization, including replacing tanks and armored vehicles with advanced models and intensifying specialized training such as sniper units.
• The policy builds on Pyongyang's post-2019 stance declaring its nuclear status irreversible and follows a 2021 agenda to pursue advanced weapons.
• Some reports allege North Korean personnel deployments to support Russia in Ukraine and cite casualties, claims that have not been independently verified.