1分6合

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watches the opening ceremony of a defense development exhibition on the 76th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, Oct. 11. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for boosting the country's military capabilities to counter what he called "hostile forces" against Pyongyang but said the move is not aimed at a war against South Korea or the United States.

Kim made the remarks Monday in a speech at a defense development exhibition to mark the 76th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, criticizing Seoul and Washington over their combined military exercises and weapons development.

"The United States has been frequently signaling that it's not hostile to our country, but there has been no behavioral ground to believe that it is not," Kim said. "For our descendants we need to be strong. We need to first be strong."

The remarks came less than two weeks after North Korea tested a new anti-aircraft missile in its fourth missile launch in September alone.