North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear programme to counter perceived US-led threats.
His comments, reported Monday, mark his first direct criticism of Washington since Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.
Speaking at a conference with army officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States for updating its nuclear deterrence strategies with South Korea and for strengthening trilateral military cooperation with Japan.
He described this alliance as an “Asian NATO,” accusing it of heightening tensions and regional instability.
Kim also criticised US support for Ukraine in the ongoing war against Russia, claiming Washington and its allies were using Ukraine as their “shock troops” to wage war against Moscow and expand US military influence. These remarks were reported by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
In recent months, Kim has prioritised strengthening ties with Russia, endorsing the concept of a “new Cold War” and aligning closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin in opposition to Western nations. North Korea has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of its nuclear-armed military, which now includes systems capable of targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach the US mainland.
Although there has been speculation about North Korea’s provision of military equipment and troops to Russia, Kim has yet to publicly acknowledge this.
The KCNA report also made no mention of Kim commenting on Trump, whose recent election win has not been reported in North Korean state media.
Kim’s relationship with Trump during his first presidency included three meetings in 2018 and 2019, but their diplomacy ultimately collapsed over disagreements on the lifting of US-led sanctions in exchange for North Korean denuclearisation steps. Since then, North Korea has suspended meaningful talks with both Washington and Seoul, focusing instead on escalating military demonstrations in response to what Kim has called “gangster-like US threats.”
Concerns have been raised in Seoul that Russia could provide technology to North Korea in exchange for its military support.
Trump’s victory has sparked speculation about a potential resumption of summit diplomacy with Kim, though experts doubt a return to the dynamics of 2018.
“Too much has changed about the regional security situation and broader geopolitics since then,” noted Hwang Ildo, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy.
In a recent study, Hwang observed that North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities are now significantly more advanced, potentially strengthening Kim’s bargaining position.
Kim’s efforts to enhance North Korea’s role in a united front against the US could also gain momentum if Trump rekindles a trade war with China, North Korea’s key ally and economic benefactor, Hwang added.
Meanwhile, Kim continues to ramp up pressure on South Korea, abandoning his previous stance on inter-Korean reconciliation. He has issued verbal threats to attack South Korea with nuclear weapons if provoked and engaged in psychological and electronic warfare.
Tactics include flying balloons loaded with trash into South Korean territory and disrupting GPS signals near South Korea’s largest airport.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported another incident early Monday involving trash-laden balloons from the North.
In a statement, they warned North Korea “not to test our military’s patience any further.”
Since May, approximately 7,000 balloons have been launched into South Korea, causing property damage but no injuries. On at least two occasions, the balloons’ contents have landed on Seoul’s presidential compound, raising concerns about the vulnerability of critical sites.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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