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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to expand his nuclear weapons program in response to growing security ties between the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Speaking during a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Army, Kim accused the three nations of forming a NATO-style regional military alliance that poses a direct threat to North Korea’s security.
Kim Jong Un Rejects Renewed Diplomatic Efforts
Over the past year, the U.S. has intensified bilateral military exercises with South Korea and increased trilateral training efforts involving Japan. North Korea has consistently condemned these drills, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion. “The United States is leading a war machine that is stirring up the tragic situation in Ukraine,” Kim said in his speech on Saturday.
Kim’s recent statements indicate a lack of interest in resuming diplomatic relations with the U.S., despite President Donald Trump’s repeated overtures. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has boasted about his previous high-stakes summits with Kim and expressed his willingness to re-engage with North Korea’s leader.
Trump Says US Will Have Relations With Kim Jong Un
“We will have relations with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un,” Trump stated during a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. “I got along with him very well, as you know. I think I stopped the war.”
In a Fox News interview on January 23, Trump referred to Kim as “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot.” When asked whether he would reach out to Kim again, Trump responded, “I will, yeah.”
During his first term, Trump met Kim three times between 2018 and 2019 in an unprecedented effort to negotiate an end to North Korea’s nuclear program. However, these diplomatic efforts ultimately collapsed when Trump rejected Kim’s proposal to dismantle North Korea’s main nuclear complex in exchange for broad sanctions relief. Since then, North Korea has continued developing its nuclear arsenal while maintaining a hostile stance toward the U.S.
North Korea’s Growing Ties with Russia
Despite Trump’s recent outreach, North Korea has not officially responded. Instead, Pyongyang has persisted in weapons testing and issued combative rhetoric against the U.S. Many experts believe Kim is currently focused on his alliance with Russia, having deployed troops to support Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
Kim has openly reaffirmed his support for Russia’s military campaign, stating on Saturday that North Korea “will invariably support and encourage the just cause of the Russian army and people to defend their sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.”
Analysts suggest that while Kim remains committed to strengthening ties with Russia, he may reconsider diplomacy with Trump if he finds it difficult to sustain strong cooperation with Moscow after the war in Ukraine concludes. Until then, North Korea appears determined to continue expanding its military capabilities while rejecting Western engagement.
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