North Korean Leader Calls for 'Unlimited' Development of Nuclear Weapons

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has once again called for the 'unlimited' development of his country's nuclear arsenal to counter what he described as 'threats from the United States and its allies.' This statement, published on Monday, November 28, marks Pyongyang's first strong and public stance against Washington since Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election about two weeks ago. According to the official North Korean news agency, the leader criticized the U.S. plan to update its nuclear deterrence strategy alongside South Korea and strengthen trilateral military cooperation among Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo during a meeting with military officials on Friday, November 25. He referred to this trend as the creation of an 'Asian NATO' and claimed it would increase tension and instability in the region. Kim Jong Un also criticized U.S. support for Ukraine against Russia, accusing them of using Kyiv as a pretext to declare war on Russia and expand U.S. military influence. Although he has not yet directly mentioned military support for Moscow or 'sending his soldiers to Russia' to confront Ukraine, he has recently emphasized the idea of a 'new cold war' and expanded Pyongyang's political and military relations with Moscow. Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, North Korea has accelerated its nuclear weapons development and is now equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach U.S. territory, in addition to missiles targeting South Korea. Trump's reelection has led to increased speculation about the possibility of resuming diplomatic talks between Washington and Pyongyang. However, some experts point out that, given recent developments in the regional and global security situation, a 'quick' return to the conditions of 2018 seems unlikely. During his first term, Trump met with Kim Jong Un three times in 2018 and 2019, but these efforts were fruitless due to disagreements over lifting U.S. sanctions in exchange for reducing Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. Since then, North Korea has halted any meaningful dialogue with Washington and Seoul, increasing its missile tests and nuclear drills. With the nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington stalled, Kim Jong Un has abandoned previous plans aimed at 'reconciling the two Koreas' and has sought to increase pressure on Seoul, including through direct threats of nuclear attack. He has also intensified psychological warfare and electronic warfare against the South, including sending thousands of balloons containing waste southward and attempting to disrupt GPS signals at South Korea's largest airport. On Monday, November 28, Seoul reported that several more North Korean balloons had crossed the border. Over the past six months, Pyongyang has sent nearly seven thousand balloons containing waste and debris southward; although this has caused material damage in some cases, it has not resulted in injuries so far. These waste balloons have also landed at least twice in the South Korean presidential complex, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key and sensitive locations in the country.