N. Korea approves new front-line army duties amid tensions

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has doubled down on his nuclear arms buildup to overwhelm “hostile forces” at a key meeting where military leaders approved unspecified new operational duties for front-line army units. State media said the Central Military Commission decided to supplement an “important military action plan” on the duties of front-line troops and further strengthen the country’s nuclear war deterrent. Analysts say North Korea could be planning to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons targeting rival South Korea along their tense border. The commission’s meeting that concluded Thursday came amid signs North Korea is preparing to conduct its first nuclear test in five years.