War games or war signals? Kim Jong Un vows nuclear expansion, brands US-South Korea drills a rehearsal for war

Economic Times

6 hours ago

Synopsis
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to accelerate the expansion of his nuclear arsenal, condemning US-South Korea military exercises as hostile. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which Seoul and Washington describe as defensive, have been branded by Pyongyang as war rehearsals. Kim's warning comes as tensions rise globally with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea is also advancing its naval capabilities, unveiling new nuclear-capable destroyers while refusing any move toward denuclearisation.
AP Kim Jong Un. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Korean state media KCNA reported on Tuesday that Kim Jong Un had instructed his military to move quickly to expand the country's nuclear weapons programme. His statement coincided with the start of joint United States-South Korea military exercises.Kim said the drills were 'an obvious expression of their will to provoke war.' He described them as 'a clear expression of … their intention to remain most hostile and confrontational' to North Korea.According to KCNA's English translation, Kim added that the 'security environment required us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearisation.'The United States and South Korea began the Ulchi Freedom Shield this week. The 11-day exercise will see about 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, take part in large-scale field manoeuvres and computer-simulated operations.South Korea's Defence Ministry said the drills are similar in size to last year but have been adjusted, with 20 out of 40 field training events rescheduled to September. Officials explained the change as part of President Lee Jae Myung's effort to ease tensions with the North, though many analysts remain sceptical that Pyongyang will view it as a conciliatory step.
For Pyongyang, the nature of the drills is unchanged. Kim warned that the exercises have 'always been provocative and dangerous in their nature but the gravity is increasing from the characteristics that they are recently plotting military nexus with the nuclear element involved.'North Korea has carried out six nuclear tests since 2006 and rejects calls to abandon its programme. It continues to insist that joint military exercises are rehearsals for invasion.Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said: 'Through this move, North Korea is demonstrating its refusal to accept denuclearisation and the will to irreversibly upgrade nuclear weapons.'A study by the Federation of American Scientists suggested North Korea may have produced enough fissile material for up to 90 nuclear warheads, though the number actually assembled is thought to be closer to 50.The US maintains around 28,000 troops in South Korea. Later this month, President Donald Trump and President Lee Jae Myung are expected to meet in Washington, with efforts to contain Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions high on the agenda.Alongside his nuclear programme, Kim is pushing forward with modernising the navy. On Monday, he inspected the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-tonne destroyer unveiled earlier this year at the port of Nampo.State media said the vessel is being fitted with anti-air and anti-ship systems as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. North Korea is also planning to complete a third destroyer by October next year.Kim hailed the warship as a step towards extending the range of his military and strengthening its ability to launch pre-emptive strikes. During his inspection, he ordered further performance tests in October and praised the progress of weapons integration.The Korean Peninsula has remained technically at war since 1953, when the Korean War ended with an armistice but no peace treaty. Despite periods of attempted diplomacy, relations between North and South have steadily deteriorated.President Lee recently said he would seek to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions, but that pact collapsed last year when both sides accused each other of violations.Kim's comments come at a time of heightened global instability. Russia continues to use nuclear threats in its war against Ukraine, while the Middle East remains unsettled after the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 and subsequent regional conflict involving Iran.China, North Korea's ally, has also weighed in. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing: 'We hope that the relevant parties can see squarely the deep-rooted cause and crux of the peninsula issue and make joint efforts to uphold peace and stability in the peninsula and promote the political settlement of the issue.'The Ulchi Freedom Shield drills are scheduled to continue until 28 August. The exercises include new training elements shaped by lessons from recent conflicts, such as Russia's war in Ukraine and the Israel-Iran confrontation, with a focus on drone threats, cyber warfare and GPS jamming.For now, Pyongyang's stance is unbending. Kim's warning, delivered against the backdrop of a destroyer equipped for nuclear strike, makes clear that his government has no intention of stepping back from its weapons programme.