North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently increased his country’s warlike rhetoric and vowed to boost national defence in response to what he calls an unprecedented U.S.-led confrontation.
Kim has promised to launch three more military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials, and develop attack drones this year to increase his leverage in future diplomacy with the U.S. In response, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would strengthen his military’s preemptive strike, missile defence, and retaliatory capabilities.
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- Kim Jong Un has said his military should “thoroughly annihilate” the United States and South Korea if provoked.
- Experts expect Kim to continue to escalate his rhetoric and weapons tests because he likely believes he can use heightened tensions to wrest U.S. concessions.
- In a five-day major ruling party meeting last week, Kim said he would launch three more military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials and develop attack drones this year.
- Kim has promised to ramp up North Korean national security.
- In a meeting Sunday with commanding army officers, Kim said it is urgent to sharpen “the treasured sword” to safeguard national security, an apparent reference to his country’s nuclear weapons program.
- North Korea has launched over 100 missiles since 2022, and experts say small-scale military clashes between North and South Korea could happen this year along their heavily armed border.
- North Korea is also expected to test-launch intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the mainland U.S. and other significant new weapons.
- North Korea has tried to strengthen its relationships with China and Russia, which blocked efforts by the U.S. and its partners in the U.N. Security Council to toughen U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its weapons tests.
- Estimates of the size of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal vary, ranging from about 20-30 bombs to more than 100.
