Kim Jong-un Calls for 'Nuclear Weapons Expansion' Again... Confidence or Sense of Crisis?

Regime Establishment Anniversary... Major Officials Called for Speech
"Policy to Exponentially Increase Nuclear Weapons Enforced"
Regarding Large-Scale Flood Damage, "Progress Made" Portrayed

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, self-assessed, "We are now steadfastly implementing the policy of building nuclear forces to exponentially increase the number of nuclear weapons." This comes as the regime's vulnerability was exposed by large-scale flood damage, once again prioritizing the policy of strengthening national defense under the banner of the 'Republic's Nuclear Forces.'

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 10th, Chairman Kim delivered a speech on the direction of national affairs to key party and government officials at the Party Central Committee headquarters on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the September 9th (the founding day of the North Korean regime).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chairman Kim stated, "The Republic's nuclear combat forces are operated under an ironclad command and control system," and emphasized, "The clear conclusion is that the nuclear capabilities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the posture to correctly use them at any given time to guarantee the nation's security rights must be more thoroughly perfected."

He also defined North Korea's security environment as a "U.S.-led threat," which is interpreted as a statement to check the strengthening cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. He diagnosed, "The reckless expansion maneuvers of the military bloc system led by the United States and its evolution into a military bloc based on nuclear weapons have come to pose a serious threat before us." He then boasted, "We will continuously strengthen nuclear capabilities that can thoroughly respond to any threatening actions imposed by hostile nuclear-armed countries."

Chairman Kim asserted, "Our country is a responsible nuclear-armed state," and argued, "The nuclear weapons we possess to protect ourselves, constantly under severe nuclear threats, do not pose a threat to anyone." He reiterated, "Strong power is true peace and the absolute guarantee of our national development."

Chairman Kim's speech on nuclear forces is interpreted as an attempt to blame external factors for North Korea's unfavorable security situation and use it as a justification for increasing nuclear weapons. Even in the situation of massive damage caused by this summer's large-scale floods, it can be seen as a policy not to stop exploiting the people for military buildup.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, Chairman Kim also continued to mention economic tasks, seemingly considering public discontent. While expressing satisfaction with North Korea's economic improvement efforts in the first half of the year, he urged officials to achieve this year's economic goals, including the "20×10 Local Development Policy," which he presented as a key project.

Chairman Kim self-assessed, "The substance of major local industrial factories in 20 cities and counties is becoming as clear as expected," and "The agricultural crop conditions are generally good, allowing us to anticipate a good harvest." He identified the "unconditional and perfect implementation of the new era local development policy" as the top priority for the party and government.

Regarding the difficulties experienced during the recovery from the flood damage in the lower reaches of the Amnok River at the end of July, he said, "There has been a series of progress," and praised, "The party and government have newly and meticulously scrutinized the gaps and spaces in natural disaster response and have taken important steps forward by devising prospective and irreversible preventive measures."

Meanwhile, although Chairman Kim's recent speech mainly focused on military policy, there was no separate mention related to inter-Korean affairs. There has been no response for a month regarding issues such as the 'Unification Doctrine.'