North Korea celebrated the 76th anniversary of its founding and leader this week, Kim Jong Unmade it clear to his compatriots that it is the duty of his “beloved” nation to be in “possession of a powerful military force” to fight against the United States and its allies, thus completely perfecting the state’s right to security through nuclear force. In 2024 alone, Pyongyang launched 37 ballistic missiles.
Last Tuesday, unlike other years when the country’s birthday is celebrated, state media did not show any images or mention any parade. Instead, images were released of Kim Jong-un envisioning a new mobile launcher to improve his intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities and a 12-axis erector launcher (TEL). At present, this is the largest attack known to the international community against the continental United States.
American Major General Patrick S. Ryder He told a Pentagon briefing that “it’s not unusual for Pyongyang to use media reports and images to try to announce” this to the world. In addition, Seoul is considering more provocative weapons tests ahead of the U.S. presidential election to increase its leverage in future diplomatic negotiations with Washington.
Most analysts believe it is likely that Pyongyang has missiles capable of hitting important targets in Japan and South Korea, but not the United States.
To do so, North Korea would have to overcome technological challenges and acquire long-range nuclear missiles. Ryder said the U.S. goal is to work with regional allies, including South Korea and Japan, to preserve regional security and stability and deter a potential attack. In August, Germany became the latest country to join the Washington-led regional bloc. The bloc is determined to defend South Korea if war breaks out and to help the police to significantly fortify the northern part of the country.
Kim Jong-un’s hostile nuclear threats in the name of “self-defense” follow the signing in July of a new defense settlement between Washington and Seoul that integrates U.S. and South Korean conventional weapons to limit North Korea’s nuclear threats and recent simulation exercises between the two countries in South Korea.
The State Department warned that “any nuclear attack by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will mean the end of the regime“. And it is worth recalling that North Korea intends to amend its constitution, according to Korean timeto redefine South Korea as the first hostile state.
South Korea’s new defense minister, Kim Yong HyunHe said Wednesday, discussing Russia’s ties with its secretive neighbor, that Pyongyang continues to improve its nuclear and missile capabilities. Since 2006, the Council on Foreign Relations says, the U.N. Security Council has passed nearly a dozen resolutions sanctioning North Korea for developing nuclear weapons and related activities. However, the country has continued to do so, and in 2013 it conducted its third nuclear test, so measures have become stricter.
The United States and other countries have also imposed unilateral measures. For example, some included in 2017 prohibiting certain types of U.S. aid to foreign governments. This, among other reasons, led Kim Jong-un to meet three times in 2018 and 2019 with the then president. Donald Trump negotiate a denuclearization agreement, which was about to be signed.
Kim had already planned to “strengthen his nuclear armed forces with an exponential increase in the number of nuclear weapons” in 2022, when the nuclear weapons program will increase significantly. As a result, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the European Union have expanded their sanctions against North Korea. The leader’s response has been that he will never give up his “nuclear weapons” and that there will be no denuclearization negotiations on his part.
