SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un convened a high-level Workers' Party meeting where he issued "important" guidelines on how to bolster the army and protect the nation's sovereignty.

North Korea said last month that it would conduct a nuclear test to protest international sanctions toughened over its long-range rocket launch in December.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Sunday that Kim made a "historic" and "important concluding speech" at a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party. It said the speech served as a guideline for strengthening the military and defending national security and sovereignty. KCNA did not say when the meeting took place.

Analyst Hong Hyun-ik said the move suggests North Korea is preparing to conduct an atomic test soon.