According to reports, North Korea has expanded its list of crimes punishable by death.

The regime increased the number of offenses carrying the death penalty from 11 to 16 through revisions of criminal law, according to Yonhap News Agency.

These new offenses include anti-state propaganda and agitation acts, illegal manufacturing, and the illicit use of weapons.

The legal amendments were implemented through multiple revisions between May 2022 and December 2023, as reported by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU).

These changes to the criminal code aim to reinforce the Kim regime’s control over the population by maintaining its dominance in both the marketplace and the military.

Earlier this month, North Korea vowed to refine its weapons development and strengthen its nuclear capabilities.

Kim Jong Un made these remarks on Monday during a state event celebrating the country’s 76th anniversary.

“The obvious conclusion is that the nuclear force of the DPRK and the posture capable of properly using it for ensuring the state’s right to security in any time should be more thoroughly perfected,” the dictator said.

“DPRK” is an abbreviation for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Kim Jong Un cautioned that the United States’ increased involvement in the region has prompted the regime to strengthen its nuclear capabilities as a deterrent.

“The DPRK will steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states and redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat,” the supreme leader said.

The 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea’s unicameral legislative body, made amendments last year to solidify nuclear weaponization as a core principle.