The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday convened a consultative meeting on national defense to address the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was briefed on a general analysis of the "enemy's serious provocation that violated the DPRK's sovereignty" as well as the country's military counteraction plan, measures for weaponry modernization, status of weapons and equipment production, and intelligence operations, the KCNA said.

During the meeting, the DPRK leader set forth the direction of military action and specified tasks to enhance war deterrence and exercise the right to self-defense for safeguarding national sovereignty, security and interests, the report said.

Kim expressed a tough political and military stand of the DPRK ruling party and government at the meeting, the report added.