PYONGYANG, January 5. /TASS/. Recent events on the international stage require North Korea to strengthen its nuclear deterrent forces, leader Kim Jong Un said while observing the Korean People's Army's fire strike group drills on the launch of hypersonic missiles on January 4.

The Korean Central News Agency quoted the supreme commander-in-chief as saying that strengthening nuclear deterrence forces is required due to "the latest geopolitical crisis and complex international events." Kim Jong Un added that the purpose of the drills was to assess the combat readiness of the hypersonic weapons system and the effectiveness and mobility of North Korea’s deterrence forces.

He called testing and improving the characteristics of the main components of the nuclear deterrent forces and practicing the use of such forces an "important strategic task." The leader emphasized that North Korea must "constantly bolster its military capabilities, particularly its offensive weapons systems," as this is necessary for effective self-defense.

"It is also necessary to constantly demonstrate to opponents the constant combat readiness and lethality of strategic offensive weapons," Kim Jong Un stressed. In his opinion, this is one of the most effective ways to deter war.

Hypersonic missiles launched from Pyongyang's Ryongsong district in a northeastern direction struck targets 1,000 kilometers away in the Sea of Japan, which North Korea calls the East Sea.