North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has presided over a high-level meeting with military leaders for the first time in a year, as concerns grow that the country could soon conduct its seventh nuclear test.

Kim convened the meeting of the Central Military Commission on Tuesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, with the body set to examine ¡°crucial and urgent tasks to build up national defense¡± before deciding on ¡°important strategic and tactical tasks to be fulfilled¡± by the country¡¯s military.

The report said the CMC had ¡°started the discussion on the presented agenda items,¡± a sign the meeting ¡ª the first since June 2021 ¡ª could continue for at least another day.