North Korea plans to launch three more spy satellites next year as part of efforts to ramp up its military, the country’s state media has said.
Last month Pyongyang put a spy satellite into space – and claims it has since photographed major US and South Korean military sites.
Setting out his aims for 2024, Kim Jong Un also said his dealings with South Korea would see “fundamental change”.
And he said he had no option but to press ahead with his nuclear ambitions.
Speaking at an end-of-year meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, Mr Kim said unification with South Korea was now no longer possible. He said Seoul treats his country as an enemy.
It appears to be the first time Mr Kim has said such a thing and marks an official change in policy – although in practice there has been little prospect of unification for some years, with no progress and little effort being made.
Relations between the two countries are in a poor state. Last month, following the spy satellite launch, Pyongyang ripped up a deal with Seoul that was aimed at lowering military tensions.