A woman walks by a board which reads ‘Forward to Final Victory under Leadership of Great Party’ (L) and another reads reads ‘Let’s firmly arm ourselves with the patriotism of Kim Jong Il,’ in Changgwang Street, Pothonggang District of Pyongyang, North Korea Photo: AP

In an emergency meeting of his top defense and security officials on Saturday, the North Korean leader issued a series of orders that included the conclusion of preparations for a new nuclear test, the Joongang Daily reported.

North Korean state media has also reported that Kim ordered his officials to take “effective, high-profile state measures.”