Seoul - North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, has called upon his military to prepare for potential offensive actions in response to heightened tensions on the peninsula. He also emphasized the need to bolster the country's ammunition production capabilities. These statements were made during a meeting of the North Korean sole party's Central Military Commission on Wednesday. The meeting involved Kim analyzing the current situation of the Korean peninsula and its surroundings, leading to a conclusion that more aggressive war preparations are necessary. The state news agency KCNA reported on these developments on Thursday.

According to Kim, the key to implementing the Party Central Committee's military strategic plan and countering potential enemy aggression lies in building a strong army. He urged the armed forces to acquire enhanced strike capabilities to carry out war deterrence effectively and emphasized the importance of deploying these capabilities in a mobile manner.

Recognizing the significant role of munitions factories, Kim stressed the imperative for these factories to expedite the mass production of diverse weapons and equipment. He also outlined the objective of expanding the capacity for producing weaponry, although further details were not provided by KCNA.

During the meeting, North Korea made a significant personnel change by removing its top general, Chief of the General Staff Pak Su-il, and appointing Ri Yong-gil, the current defense minister, as his replacement.

This assembly marked the fourth such military gathering since February for Pyongyang. It coincided with upcoming joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, scheduled for later in the month. North Korea views these exercises as a potential threat to its territorial integrity.

Recent events, including the presence of delegations from Russia and China at a prominent military anniversary event and Kim's visit to national munitions factories, suggest that North Korea is attempting to showcase its military capabilities.

Among the other topics addressed during the meeting were preparations for a military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the country's founding on September 9th.