North Korean President Kim Jong-un chairs a politburo meeting on January 19, 2022. (Photo: Yonhap/VNA)

Seoul’s Ministry of Unification said the South Korean government is closely monitoring the North's latest moves with a sense of tension, and will thoroughly prepare for possible deterioration of the situation while closely coordinating with other countries to keep the Korean Peninsula under stable control. It stressed that dialogue and diplomacy are the only solution for a future of peace.

North Korean media reported that during a politburo meeting on Wednesday, President Kim Jong-un gave instructions to restart all activities that had been temporarily suspended as Pyongyang was preparing for a "long-term confrontation" against the United States. North Korea has not tested nuclear bombs or ICBMs since 2017.