Kim Doubles Down on Nuclear Deterrence as North Korea Accelerates Military Expansion
Seoul- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to accelerate the expansion of the country’s military capabilities and nuclear deterrent, state media reported on Tuesday, citing what Pyongyang described as growing military cooperation and weapons modernization efforts by South Korea and the United States.
Kim made the remarks during a three-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea that concluded on Monday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
In a closing speech, Kim reaffirmed what KCNA described as the government’s commitment to rapidly strengthening national defense capabilities amid what North Korea views as a deteriorating regional security environment.
“The steadfast policy stand of our Party and state is to beef up the national defense capabilities faster,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
North Korea remains subject to multiple international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The Korean Peninsula technically remains in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.
According to KCNA, Kim accused Washington and Seoul of intensifying military preparations, citing efforts to modernize armed forces and developments related to South Korea’s pursuit of advanced naval capabilities, including plans involving nuclear-powered submarines.
Kim said such actions were pushing the Korean Peninsula “to the brink of a nuclear war” and argued that North Korea must continue expanding what he described as a reliable self-defense deterrent.
The party meeting concluded that strengthening the country’s nuclear forces remained the most effective way to respond to evolving international military and political challenges, KCNA reported. It added that efforts to develop a strategic deterrent based on nuclear technology would proceed at an accelerated pace.
The statements reinforce Pyongyang’s long-standing position that its nuclear arsenal is central to national security and non-negotiable. North Korea has repeatedly characterized itself as an irreversible nuclear weapons state since the collapse of denuclearization talks between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi in 2019.
Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s influential sister, reiterated that position earlier this month, describing the country’s nuclear doctrine as a “line of no retreat” and signaling continued resistance to future disarmament demands.
The latest comments come amid renewed discussion of North Korea policy following talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump during the Group of Seven summit in France earlier this month.
Lee said Trump agreed that new approaches may be required to address North Korea’s nuclear program. The South Korean leader also argued that existing sanctions have not produced the intended results and that Pyongyang cannot be approached in the same manner as other nuclear-related challenges.
North Korea’s latest pledge to accelerate military development underscores the continued stalemate in denuclearization diplomacy and highlights the widening gap between Pyongyang’s strategic objectives and international efforts to curb its nuclear ambitions.
