By Daniel DePetris
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not waste any time ringing in the New Year with his own celebration.
Two hours after the stroke of midnight, North Korea conducted its first missile test of the year, firing a short-range ballistic projectile that traveled about 400 kilometers before splashing into waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. This came after a frenetic 2022 for Pyongyang that saw a record 95 missiles tested.
More significant than the new test, however, was the conclusion of a six-day, high-level Workers' Party meeting on New Year's Eve.
There, Kim outlined a new set of objectives for his subordinates: mass producing tactical nuclear warheads, developing an intercontinental ballistic missile to be able to quickly strike enemy forces in the event of confrontation and fielding a military reconnaissance satellite to boost the nation's intelligence capabilities.
This piece was originally published in Nikkei Asian Review on January 16, 2023. Read more HERE.