Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), announced plans to bolster the country's war response posture during a visit to the Ministry of National Defense, state media reported Sunday. The remarks came as the DPRK marked the 77th anniversary of its armed forces' founding.
Kim cited U.S.-led military exercises, nuclear deployments on the Korean Peninsula, and strengthened alliances with South Korea and Japan as factors disrupting regional stability. He criticized these actions as efforts to create "an Asian version of NATO," warning they risked "military imbalance in Northeast Asia."
The DPRK will pursue "sustained countermeasures to ensure military balance" while emphasizing its goal of preventing war, according to a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report. Kim also reaffirmed plans to expand nuclear capabilities as a core deterrent strategy.
In a notable aside, Kim expressed support for Russia's "just cause" in defending its sovereignty amid the Ukraine conflict, aligning with the DPRK-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership treaty. Analysts suggest this highlights growing geopolitical alignments amid global tensions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
