Page 26 - 2020 Defence White Paper

Section

3 North Korean Situation and

Military Threats

Since State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un took office in 2011, North
Korea has declared the completion of "state nuclear capability" in 2017 by focusing its
capabilities on advancing nuclear and missile capabilities, advocating the "Byungjin"
policy of simultaneously developing its economy and nuclear weapons. In 2018,
North Korea introduced the "line to focus all efforts on economic construction" as
a new strategic line and pursued active summit diplomacy, advocating the goal of
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, the deadlock in denuclearization
negotiations has been prolonged since the breakdown of the US–North Korea Hanoi
Summit in 2019. While in 2020, even in a situation of deepening economic difficulties due
to COVID-19 and sanctions, North Korea is seeking to strengthen its operational posture
through the enhancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities and reinforcement of
selective conventional forces on the pretext of strengthening its self-defensive military
power.

1. North Korean Situation

Internal Situation Since State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un
took off ce in 2011, North Korea has focused on advancing
its nuclear and missile capabilities. It declared the completion of "state nuclear
capability" in 2017 after launching various types of ballistic missiles and conducting
its sixth nuclear test. In the 2018 New Year’s address, Pyongyang emphasized the
legitimacy of its "Byungjin" policy of simultaneously developing its economy and
nuclear capabilities and highlighted the mass production and field deployment of
nuclear warheads and ballistic rockets.
At the 3rd Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of
Korea on April 20, 2018, North Korea declared the success of the "Byungjin" policy
and officialized the "line to focus all efforts on constructing a socialist economy"
as its new strategic line. In the 2019 New Year’s message, it emphasized economic
construction through "self-reliance" and declared that it would not produce, test,
use, or proliferate nuclear weapons while expressing its resolve for complete
denuclearization.
Chairman Kim emphasized the "economic construction through the reinforcement

2020 Defense White Paper