In a development that many countries may view as a threat to international security, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced the need for a significant expansion of his country’s nuclear capabilities as part of a comprehensive review of its military strategy.

This announcement came during his visit to the destroyer Choe Hyon on Monday, August 18, where he observed weapons system tests and military drills conducted onboard.

Kim sharply criticized the joint military exercises “Ulchi Freedom Shield” between South Korea and the United States, which began on August 18 and are scheduled to continue until August 28. He described them as “a step toward igniting war” and a clear expression of a “hostile stance” toward his country.

He asserted that the U.S.–South Korean military escalation poses a threat to regional peace, calling for an acceleration of North Korea’s nuclear armament program to counter what he described as attempts by adversaries to establish a “nuclear military alliance.”

This dangerous development requires us to take proactive and comprehensive countermeasures,” Kim said, referring to Pyongyang’s plans to bolster its military arsenal in response to what it perceives as growing external threats.