ISTANBUL 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Pyongyang has assigned “special assets” to counter the increase of US military forces in South Korea, pledging to develop “additional military measures,” state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

“In direct proportion to the US military’s arms buildup in the ROK (South Korea) region, our strategic concern about this region has also grown, and accordingly we have assigned our special assets to the major targets of our concern,” Kim said during a military exhibition ahead of the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Kim added that North Korea will “surely adopt additional military measures” to counter the US forces’ buildup, without providing further details.

“We are closely watching the United States’ deployment of its means of strategic strike and reconnaissance in and around the Korean peninsula and their mobilization for hostile military acts in connection with a new possible threat to our state’s security,” he said.

He added that Pyongyang will implement relevant “military and technological measures” to maintain the balance of power if the US “persists in the dangerous moves of reinforcing its military strength in blatant disregard of the security concerns of the states in the region.”