Kim Jong Un Pledges Faster Military Build-Up Amid Rising Tensions on Korean Peninsula

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to accelerate the development of the country’s defense capabilities, accusing the United States and South Korea of increasing military activities that are pushing the Korean Peninsula toward the risk of nuclear conflict.

According to state media, Kim made the remarks during a three-day meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, which concluded on Monday. Senior officials gathered to review major policy initiatives and discuss the country’s strategic priorities amid growing regional security concerns.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim reaffirmed what he described as the ruling party’s firm commitment to strengthening national defense at a faster pace. He argued that military modernization efforts by Washington and Seoul have created an increasingly unstable security environment.

Kim specifically pointed to what he described as expanding military cooperation between the United States and South Korea, including moves related to advanced military assets and broader defense modernization programs. He claimed these developments were heightening tensions and increasing the possibility of a nuclear confrontation on the peninsula.

North Korea, which remains under multiple international sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program, has long maintained that its military buildup is necessary for self-defense. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.

State media reported that party officials unanimously agreed that expanding and strengthening the country’s nuclear forces remains the most effective way to respond to what they described as an unpredictable international political and military environment. The report added that efforts to enhance North Korea’s nuclear-based deterrent would continue at an accelerated pace.

Security analysts in South Korea said the latest comments reinforce Pyongyang’s long-standing position that its nuclear arsenal is non-negotiable. Experts noted that North Korea has increasingly portrayed its nuclear weapons program as a permanent component of national security policy.

North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an irreversible nuclear state since the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in 2019. The summit ended without an agreement after the two sides failed to bridge differences over sanctions relief and denuclearization measures.

Earlier this month, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, described the country’s nuclear policy as a “line of no retreat,” signaling that Pyongyang has no intention of abandoning its weapons program.

The latest remarks come as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung recently revealed that he discussed North Korea with US President Donald Trump during a meeting at the G7 summit. Lee said both leaders agreed that new approaches may be needed to address the North Korean nuclear issue, amid growing concerns over regional security and stability.