North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a policy shift towards strategic weapons development to deter the U.S., but said citizens will have to tighten their belts and independently solve economic problems as sanctions relief is not expected soon, in comments issued at the final day of a party plenary meeting.

The report on day four plenum conclusions, published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday morning, carried the over-riding message that Pyongyang is digging in its heels against U.S. calls for unilateral denuclearization.