North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has reiterated calls for the “unlimited” expansion of the country’s nuclear military program to, as he said, counter threats from the United States and other nations, the state news agency reported on Monday.
In a meeting with military officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States’ decision to update its joint nuclear strategy with South Korea, as well as the strengthening of trilateral military cooperation with the South and Japan.
He described this cooperation as an “Asian NATO,” which he claims is escalating tensions and destabilizing the region.
Kim also criticized the United States for supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion. He said Washington and its Western allies are using Ukraine as “elite troops” to wage war against Moscow and expand U.S. military influence, according to the North Korean state news agency KCNA.
In recent months, Kim has prioritized strengthening ties with Russia.
Washington, Seoul, and Kyiv have stated that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in Russia to support the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, with some reportedly involved in combat in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
Kim has yet to directly acknowledge that North Korea is supplying Russia with military equipment and troops to support its war against Ukraine.
He has used Russia’s war in Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military, which now possesses various nuclear-capable systems aimed at South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach the United States.
