North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has defended his country’s nuclear weapons programme, declaring that maintaining and strengthening its nuclear capabilities is the only way to navigate an increasingly unpredictable and volatile global security landscape.
Speaking during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, Kim argued that North Korea must continue expanding its nuclear forces to protect itself against what he described as growing international instability.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim claimed that the world is witnessing “unimaginable and astonishing” events driven by the ambitions of powerful nations, leading to intensified conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions across multiple regions.
The North Korean leader accused the United States of contributing to ongoing violence in Europe and the Middle East, while also criticising Washington and Seoul for strengthening their joint military and nuclear deterrence strategies.
Kim alleged that the enhanced military cooperation between the United States and South Korea was designed solely to target North Korea, further increasing security concerns on the Korean Peninsula.
He stressed that continuously expanding and strengthening North Korea’s nuclear forces remains the country’s most effective strategy for responding to what he described as an increasingly complex international military and political environment.
While KCNA did not provide details on any immediate nuclear-related measures, Kim reportedly ordered further improvements to the country’s conventional military capabilities.
He also called for the accelerated construction of a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser as part of broader efforts to modernise North Korea’s armed forces.
North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have long been a source of international concern. The country has been subjected to multiple rounds of sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the United States between 2006 and 2017 in response to its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
Despite years of diplomatic efforts involving the United States, China and South Korea, Pyongyang has consistently maintained that it will not abandon its nuclear arsenal.
The latest remarks underscore North Korea’s continued commitment to its nuclear strategy amid growing uncertainty over global security and regional stability.
