N. Korea reaffirms 'nuclear war deterrence' in key party meeting: unification ministry

North Korea appears to have reaffirmed its will toward bolstering its nuclear war deterrence during a recent key party meeting again after the communist regime vowed to do so at the end of last year, the unification ministry said Monday.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday that leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Central Military Commission meeting and discussed "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country."

"The term 'nuclear war deterrence' was previously mentioned in the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea last year. It appears this was reaffirmed at the Central Military Commission meeting," Cho Hey-sil, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, told a regular press briefing Monday.

While talking about nuclear deterrence, the North warned after last year's meeting that it will show off a "new strategic weapon" and could take "shocking actual action" amid stalled nuclear talks with the United States.

The KCNA did not say when the military commission meeting was held, but state media usually reports Kim's activities the following day. The meeting was held nearly five months after Kim last presided over a Central Military Commission meeting in mid-December. (Yonhap)