NORTH KOREAN leader Kim Jong Un convened a meeting with senior military officials yesterday to discuss national defence as the US and its allies ratchet up regional tensions. 

The Workers Party Central Military Commission was reviewing its work over the first six months of the year and is set to agree the “crucial and urgent tasks” to expand military capabilities. 

It is the first time the commission of military leaders is meeting at this level since June 2021 and the gathering is expected to take several days.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, the high-level meeting will “discuss major tasks for further enhancing the function and role of the military commissions at all levels,” including provincial, city and council. 

Tensions have escalated on the Korean Peninsula in recent months as the United States has mobilised increased troops and military hardware to the region. 

Earlier this month, it conducted three days of joint naval exercises with South Korea and has warned Pyongyang over its missile programme as it fears it will carry out its first nuclear test since 2017.