North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has denounced the elevated security partnership between the United States, South Korea, and Japan, calling it a "severe threat" to North Korea’s security.
Kim pledged to further strengthen his nation’s nuclear weapons programme, according to state media reports on Sunday.
Speaking at an event marking the 77th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army on Saturday, Kim described the trilateral alliance as part of a US-led plot to form a NATO-style military bloc in the region.
The partnership, he said, was destabilising the Korean Peninsula and posing “a grave challenge to the security environment of our state,” the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
KCNA noted that Kim “referred to a series of new plans for rapidly bolstering all deterrence, including nuclear forces,” and reiterated “the unshakable policy of more highly developing the nuclear forces.”
Despite previous warnings, Kim’s latest statement suggests a continued unwillingness to embrace diplomatic overtures from former US President Donald Trump, who has recently expressed a desire to re-engage with the North Korean leader.
Since diplomacy with the US and South Korea stalled in recent years, Kim has prioritised expanding and modernising his nuclear arsenal.
In response, the United States and South Korea have increased bilateral military drills and conducted joint training with Japan. North Korea has condemned these exercises as preparations for an invasion.
In a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday, Trump said, “We will have relations with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un. I got along with him very well, as you know. I think I stopped the war.”
He added during a Fox News interview on 23 January that Kim was “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot.” Asked whether he would reach out to Kim again, Trump confirmed, “I will, yeah.”
Also read: 'I stopped the war': Trump hints at 'diplomatic' revival with Kim
Trump and Kim met three times between 2018 and 2019, marking historic summitry between the two nations.
However, their negotiations collapsed when Trump rejected Kim’s proposal to dismantle North Korea’s primary nuclear complex in exchange for comprehensive sanctions relief.
Despite Trump’s recent overtures, North Korea has remained silent while continuing its weapons testing and issuing hostile rhetoric.
Analysts believe Kim’s current focus lies on supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, with North Korean troops reportedly dispatched to assist Moscow. Experts suggest Kim may reconsider diplomacy with Trump if his alliance with Russia weakens after the war.
In his Saturday address, Kim reiterated North Korea’s unwavering support for Russia, stating, “We will invariably support and encourage the just cause of the Russian army and people to defend their sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.”
He accused the US of being the force behind “the war machine which is stirring up the tragic situation of Ukraine.”
In South Korea, concerns have arisen over the possibility of Trump abandoning the international community’s long-standing objective of complete denuclearisation of North Korea in pursuit of a diplomatic victory.
However, a joint statement issued by Trump and Ishiba following their summit reaffirmed their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the DPRK,” using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The statement also underscored the significance of the Japan-US-South Korea trilateral alliance in countering North Korea’s threats.
Also read: Trump axes Biden's security privileges; Mocks 'Joe, you're fired!'
Follow us
