North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he will accelerate the country’s military buildup, according to state media reports cited by multiple outlets. The remarks come after a party meeting where Kim delivers concluding remarks, reaffirming what the reports describe as the “steadfast” policy stance of North Korea’s party and state to strengthen national defence capabilities faster. The reports also link the decision to changes in the region, saying Kim cites military modernisation efforts by South Korea and the United States. In one account, state media frames these developments as pushing the region toward a nuclear war, while another notes the broader context of nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. The outlets also reiterate that the two Koreas are still technically at war, because the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Across the reports, there is no indication of any immediate diplomatic breakthrough or change in North Korea’s nuclear policy; instead, they describe Kim’s message as a continuation of defence modernisation plans in response to perceived external pressures.