North Korea’s Leader Vows Nuclear Expansion
Delivering remarks Monday during the closing day of the inaugural session of the newly convened 15th Supreme People's Assembly, Kim pledged to accelerate the expansion of the country's "defensive nuclear deterrence" and sustain a "prompt and precise" response posture for its nuclear forces to address "strategic threats" to national and regional security.
North Korea "will continue to solidify its status as a nuclear weapons state...while aggressively staging campaigns to crush any provocations by hostile forces," he said.
Directing a sharp warning southward, Kim threatened Seoul with "merciless consequences" should it engage in any actions deemed provocative toward Pyongyang, state-run media reported.
North Korea has formally recognized South Korea "as the most hostile nation and will thoroughly ignore and disregard it through the clearest remarks and actions," Kim said.
The declaration carries significant constitutional weight. Under Pyongyang's existing charter, peaceful reunification of the divided peninsula remains an enshrined goal — though Kim ordered lawmakers in 2024 to legally reframe South Korea as "the No. 1 hostile country," with a formal constitutional amendment having been widely anticipated, South Korean media reported.
Kim also leveled sweeping accusations at Washington, condemning US conduct as global "state terrorism and aggression" — a remark widely interpreted as a reference to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East — while pledging that Pyongyang would assume a more assertive role in a unified front opposing American influence.
Stopping short of mentioning US President Donald Trump by name, Kim issued a pointed warning to his adversaries, stating that whether they "choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is up to them, and we are prepared to respond to any choice."
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