Kim Jong-un Urges Rapid Nuclear Expansion Amid US-South Korea War Games

By Staff, Agencies

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for the swift expansion of his country’s nuclear arsenal in response to what he described as “obvious provocations of war” by the United States and South Korea through their joint military exercises.

During a visit to a navy destroyer on Monday, Kim denounced the ongoing drills as the “most obvious manifestation” of Washington and Seoul’s intent to ignite conflict, noting that the exercises included a “nuclear element”.

He stressed, “The prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and [a] rapid expansion of nuclearization”.

The 11-day annual drills, dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, began Monday with large-scale, live-fire exercises. The US military claimed the drills were defensive in nature and designed to strengthen alliance response capabilities across joint, all-domain, and interagency operations.

Pyongyang has long criticized such exercises as rehearsals for invasion and frequently counters with its own weapons tests. Washington and Seoul, however, insist the drills are strictly defensive.

Tensions between the two Koreas remain high. Last Friday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pledged to “respect” North Korea’s political system and pursue dialogue aimed at building “military trust”.

His remarks came a day after Pyongyang dismissed any possibility of improving ties, citing Seoul’s deepening reliance on its alliance with Washington.

North Korean leader’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, reinforced this position last month, rejecting dialogue and condemning South Korea’s “blind trust” in the US. She also denied reports of North Korea removing loudspeakers along the border.

The estrangement deepened further in October when Pyongyang revised its constitution to designate the South as a “hostile state” after Kim Jong-un renounced the decades-old policy goal of reunification.