Kim clarifies N-Korean nuclear arsenal enlargement
Date
10/27/2024 6:34:51 AM
(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reiterated the necessity of expanding the country’s strategic missile arsenal, citing the persistent threat posed by U.S. nuclear capabilities. This statement comes as tensions on the Korean Peninsula continue to escalate, particularly between North and South Korea, which have technically been in a state of war since 1953.
Recent incidents have heightened these tensions, including North Korea’s accusations that South Korea deployed drones over its territory to distribute propaganda leaflets. In response, South Korea has accused its northern neighbor of sending hot air balloons filled with trash across the border. Earlier this year, Kim made headlines by proposing a significant shift in policy, suggesting that North Korea should abandon its long-standing commitment to reunification and instead label the South as a “principal enemy.”
On Wednesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim, along with other senior officials, conducted inspections of strategic missile bases. During these visits, Kim examined various launch facilities and emphasized the importance of keeping the missile systems current, describing them as a critical component of North Korea’s deterrence strategy.
“The U.S. strategic nuclear capabilities pose an ever-increasing threat to the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Kim stated, according to KCNA. He argued that this situation necessitates a bolstering of North Korea’s deterrent capabilities, asserting that the nation’s missile forces must be prepared to “deal a strategic counterblow to the enemy at any time.”
Adding to the tensions, KCNA reported that North Korean authorities discovered fragments of what they claimed was a South Korean military drone on their territory. The state media warned that any further incursions into North Korean airspace would be regarded as a “grave military provocation” and could trigger an immediate retaliatory strike.
The rhetoric from both sides reflects the increasingly fraught relationship between North and South Korea, as well as the broader geopolitical implications of North Korea's nuclear ambitions. As Kim Jong-un continues to assert the need for military readiness and deterrence, the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains a focal point of international concern.
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