In a recent speech commemorating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to expand the country’s nuclear weapons program. Kim Jong-un said that the country must be prepared to deploy its nuclear arsenal “properly at any given time” to secure its sovereignty.
“We will exponentially increase the number of nuclear weapons,” Kim declared, underlining the regime’s determination to strengthen its military defenses against perceived external threats.
The North Korean leader pointed to the United States and its allies as the primary forces driving the country’s nuclear expansion. He stressed that the DPRK’s nuclear forces must be perfected to counter what he described as “various threats posed by the United States and its followers.” In this vein, Pyongyang will “steadily strengthen its nuclear forces capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states.”
Estimating the exact size of North Korea’s arsenal remains challenging due to the regime’s secrecy. Intelligence reports suggest the country may have enough fissile material for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons, though the actual number of operational warheads could be much lower. Despite this uncertainty, the regime’s six nuclear tests, the last of which was in 2017, indicate ongoing advancements in its nuclear weapons and missile technologies.
During his speech, Kim also warned of a “grave threat” posed by what he called a US-led nuclear-based military bloc in the region. In response, he vowed that North Korea would “redouble its measures and efforts to make all the state’s armed forces, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat.” While Kim maintained that North Korea is a “responsible nuclear weapons state,” he reiterated that the nation’s nuclear arsenal was for self-defense and not intended as a threat to others.
Analysts point out that North Korea has been vocal about its nuclear goals, particularly after the 8th Party Congress in 2021. Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, noted that North Korea had previously indicated its intent to diversify its nuclear capabilities, particularly its tactical nuclear weapons. “From the end of the following year, they started to mention ‘exponential increases. By 2027, North Korea could amass enough nuclear material for about 200 warheads, with the potential to reach 300 by 2030,” Yang stated.
Regional tensions have further escalated in response to North Korea’s continued missile tests and nuclear ambitions. On September 10, South Korea’s deputy defense minister, Cho Chang-rae, alongside his US and Japanese counterparts, condemned Pyongyang’s actions during a meeting in Seoul.
The three nations reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing trilateral cooperation to deter North Korea’s nuclear threats and agreed to hold a second trilateral military exercise, “Freedom Edge,” in the near future.
