N. Korea’s Leader Pushes for Enhancement of Nation’s Nuclear Arsenal

(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday called for continuous enhancement and modernization of Pyongyang’s "nuclear shield and sword," emphasizing its crucial role in securely "defending the security of the sovereignty, interests and right to development" of the nation. This directive came during his meeting with nuclear scientists and technicians from the Nuclear Weapons Institute.

According to a state-run North Korean news agency, Kim stressed that Pyongyang will prioritize "providing and supporting every possibility and condition to the nuclear technology field for its sustained development."

Kim reviewed a progress report on the 2025 plan aimed at expanding nuclear material production capacity, the agency added.

He also "declared that steadily evolving the state's nuclear response posture is an essential top priority task in view of the security environment of the Republic, the most right choice for the present and future of the state and an unchangeable duty that we must carry out."

Meanwhile, on Thursday, South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young estimated North Korea's stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be as high as 2,000 kilograms.

In a parliamentary session earlier this week, Kim remarked there was “no reason to avoid dialogue with the US” if Washington dropped its demand for denuclearization.

MENAFN28092025000045017169ID1110120579