The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) is planning to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, reported Reuters.

According to the report, the discussion was carried out during North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party meeting, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un talked about the country’s requirements to secure ‘overwhelming military power’.

The new ICBM is expected to boost the country’s nuclear force to counter US-led threats.

Citing North Korea’s state news agency Korean Central News Agency’s (KCNA) report, Reuters said that the new ICBM will mainly be used for providing rapid ‘nuclear counter-strike’ capabilities.

As per KCNA report, Kim Jong Un said: “The prevailing situation calls for making redoubled efforts to overwhelmingly beef up the military muscle … in response to the worrying military moves by the US and other hostile forces.

“It highlights the importance and necessity of a mass-producing of tactical nuclear weapons and calls for an exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal.”

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KCNA’s report also claimed that the new ICBM will be developed as part of the country’s 2023 nuclear and defence strategy.

The latest meeting comes a few days after the South Korean military claimed that DPRK’s five drones entered its airspace.

Out of the five drones, the South Korean officials claimed that one entered Seoul, while four were observed flying near the west coast region of South Korea, escalating the tensions between the two nations.

On 31 December, DPRK also test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles towards the Korean Peninsula’s east coast region.

A report by Reuters claimed that the late-night test was condemned by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the US Indo-Pacific Command.