Kim pledges to strengthen defence capabilities

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen his nuclear-armed nation's military capabilities at a key ruling party meeting, state media reported yesterday, just weeks before Joe Biden's inauguration as US president. 

In his work report to the Workers' Party congress, Kim pledged to place "the state defence capabilities on a much higher level, and put forth goals for realising it", the official Korean Central News Agency said.

After an initial war of words and mutual threats, outgoing US President Donald Trump had an extraordinary diplomatic bromance with Kim, featuring headline-grabbing meetings and declarations of love by Trump.

But talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the two men's second summit in Hanoi broke down in February 2019 over sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return.

Analysts say the North is using the five-yearly congress to send the incoming administration a message, but is treading carefully -- Biden characterised Kim as a "thug" during the presidential debates, while Pyongyang has previously called him a "rabid dog".

KCNA did not refer to nuclear weapons in its report or give specific details of Kim's goals.