North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently reiterated his pledge to make his country's nuclear force fully ready for combat with the United States and its allies. According to media reports, he plans to boost his country's nuclear arsenal “exponentially.”
During a speech on the occasion of the 76th founding anniversary of his government, the North Korean leader said the country will “redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat."
He claimed that North Korea faces a grave threat because of what he called the reckless expansion of a US-led regional military bloc that is now developing into a nuclear-based one.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), North Korea is in possession of as many as 50 nuclear warheads.
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According to South Korean officials and experts, North Korea may conduct nuclear tests or intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches before the US elections to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the US.
Since 2022, North Korea has been increasing its weapons testing activities in an attempt to perfect its capabilities to launch strikes on the US and South Korea. The US and South Korea have responded by expanding military drills that North Korea calls invasion rehearsals.
North Korea did not appear to have conducted any major military demonstration to mark the founding anniversary of his government. However, a newspaper in North Korea, on Sunday, published a photo of Kim inspecting what seemed to be a 12-axle missile launch vehicle, which would be the largest the country has shown so far. This led to speculations that the country could be developing a new ICBM that is bigger than its current Hwasong-17 ICBM, which is launched on an 11-axle vehicle.