North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country is becoming a "military superpower" capable of deploying nuclear weapons, an option which would not be ruled out in the case of an enemy attack.
"Our steps toward becoming a military superpower and a nuclear power will accelerate," Kim declared in a Monday speech at the University of National Defense. He specifically cited the US concentration of its forces, including nuclear assets, on the Korean peninsula in support of Seoul as a reason for pursuing nuclear superpower status.
"The military alliance of the United States and the Republic of Korea, has flouted by the puppets themselves, has become completely nuclear-based, and we need to keep our military preparedness at an endlessly high level," Kim said.
In the speech later transcribed by state-run KCNA, he emphasized that while Pyongyang has no intention of attacking South Korea, it remains that "if the enemy attempts to use force against our country" North Korea's military will use its full force without hesitation, and this scenario "does not preclude the use of nuclear weapons."
Ultimately, the north has found itself in a situation of being confronted by "the world’s largest nuclear power" - he said in another reference to the United States, and his country will "not tolerate" any disruption to the military balance of power on the Korean Peninsula.
Interestingly, during the same speech urging the strengthening of military readiness, he also sent a birthday congratulatory message Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kim called Putin his "closest Comrade" and hailed that "strategic and cooperative relations" with Russia are soon to be raised to a new level to work on "defending regional and global peace and international justice."
Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency has issued a Tuesday report alleging that North Korea has likely begun building a new nuclear-powered submarine. This is seen as part of Kim's broader push to put his 'superpower' plan into action.
"In January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine after vowing to develop such a submarine among other sophisticated weapons systems during a ruling party congress in 2021," Yonhap notes. Theoretically such a future advanced nuclear sub could come near North American shores.
U.S. Mainland in the Crosshairs: North Korea Begins Construction of First #Nuclear Powered Submarine - Reports https://t.co/pFUJfHtViD
— Military Watch Magazine (@MilitaryWatchM) October 8, 2024
"Partial signs that appear to be the start of the submarine's construction have been detected," the South Korea's military intelligence indicated in a report to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the ruling People Power Party.
"As construction is still in its early stages, further confirmation is needed on whether it is nuclear powered," the report added by way of caveat.
