(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has revealed that his country has developed "secret weapons" aimed at strengthening its defense capabilities against the United States and its allies.

In a speech broadcast by a state-controlled news agency on Monday, Kim emphasized the need for North Korea to “continuously stockpile even more formidable forces capable of repelling all military threats.” He accused Washington and its partners of destabilizing the region through "provocative actions that further escalate tensions" and ignoring Pyongyang’s security concerns.

Kim went on to announce that North Korea had "acquired new secret weapons" and had made significant advancements in defense science. However, he did not provide specific details about these new capabilities.

“We have successfully built a strategic axis for safeguarding maritime sovereignty by producing destroyers capable of performing various maritime military missions,” Kim added.

The remarks follow a recent declaration by North Korea that it had completed the final ground test of a solid-fuel engine for the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon with the potential to strike the continental United States. Last week, Kim supervised the testing of Kumsong tactical attack drones and an unmanned strategic reconnaissance aircraft. In March, he also oversaw tests of AI-powered “suicide drones.”

Kim used the occasion to reaffirm his stance on the issue of nuclear weapons, rejecting the concept of "phased denuclearization." "We will never give up our nuclear weapons," he said, underscoring that North Korea’s nuclear status is a “national law.”

Despite the hardline rhetoric, Kim tempered his comments with an offer for dialogue, suggesting that if the United States abandons its “vain obsession with denuclearization” and accepts reality, there would be an opportunity for the two nations to establish diplomatic ties.

This latest round of provocative statements and military advancements signals a continuation of Pyongyang’s defiance in the face of international pressure.

MENAFN22092025000045017169ID1110093501