Kim Jong Un calls for 'military revolution' in chilling new anouncement after sister issues 'clear warning'
Kim Jong Un has urged the country's army to become a 'strong elite unit' just days after rumors circulated about where the leader was.
The dictator has called for a 'Korean-style military revolution' in a stark warning, as he gathered 'the entire army' together for the first time since February.
Kim called for every army company to prepare so that 'the goal of the new-era military build-up' can be achieved.
"Let us build the strongest army and speed up a military revolution in our style," he said, during a two-day meeting in the country's capital, Pyongyang.
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At February’s Ninth Congress, where North Korea’s ruling party outlined its priorities for the next five years, he pledged to bolster the country’s conventional military capabilities while reiterating his commitment to expanding its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
The move comes days after false rumors swirled online that the supreme leader, 42, had died.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Kim had suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage, which led to intelligence agencies across the world to closely monitor his isolated regime.
Pyongyang were quick to discount the claims, as they released photos of him touring a clothing and footwear exhibition.
North Korea’s tightly controlled media operates under strict state censorship, with news outlets serving as mouthpieces for the regime and offering little independent reporting or scrutiny of the country’s leadership.
The New York Post reported that the North Korean leader appeared 'animated' as he examined children's footwear on show, while he was also seen inspecting women’s coats at the exhibition.
But rumours around Kim's death are not unprecedented, with similar claims circulating in 2014 and 2020.
The latest speculation comes amid uncertainty over whether the North Korean leader will meet President Trump.
In August, Trump said he hoped to sit down with Kim before the end of 2026, following a reduction in joint military exercises between Washington and Seoul.
However, according to Reuters, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, pushed back against the prospect of a meeting, stressing that the personal relationship between the two leaders would not influence Pyongyang’s military policy.
Yo Jong recently joined senior military officials to visit new fortification sites along the 160-mile border, and issued a chilling message to her southern neighbors.
As tensions between the two countries intensify, she issued a blunt warning to Seoul, threatening that continued interference could lead to what she described as 'the most horrible and distressing situation'.
"This is not a threat," she said, according to CBS News, "but a clear warning."
Topics: North Korea, Kim Jong-un, World News
Mia Williams