North Korean leader
Kim Jong Un called for "positive and offensive measures" to ensure the country's security before a year-end deadline he has set for
denuclearization talks with the
United States, state media KCNA said on Monday.
Kim convened a weekend meeting of top Workers' Party officials to discuss policy matters amid rising tension over his deadline for
Washington to soften its stance in stalled negotiations aimed at dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear and
missile programs.
At a Sunday session, Kim suggested action in the areas of foreign affairs, the munitions industry and armed forces, stressing the need to take "positive and offensive measures for fully ensuring the sovereignty and security of the country," KCNA said, without elaborating.