Pyongyang: North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has intensified his nuclear rhetoric, asserting that the ongoing conflict involving Iran serves as a definitive justification for Pyongyang’s own nuclear weapons program. In a speech delivered to the Supreme People’s Assembly on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Kim accused the United States of engaging in “terrorism and invasions” in West Asia. According to reports from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim argued that a country’s dignity and final victory can only be guaranteed by “the most powerful might,” directly linking the survival of his regime to its “defensive nuclear deterrence.”
During the address, Kim formally declared South Korea as the “most hostile nation,” a significant escalation in diplomatic terminology. He warned that North Korea would “officially” recognize and subsequently disregard its southern neighbour, promising “merciless” consequences for any perceived provocations from Seoul. Kim vowed to further advance the North’s nuclear posture to address strategic threats to national and regional security, maintaining a “prompt and precise” response capability. This stance signals a continued commitment to solidifying North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state while aggressively countering what it perceives as hostile forces.
Kim’s belligerent address comes at a time of deep global uncertainty, as U.S. President Donald Trump simultaneously claims a near-total military victory over Iran. President Trump recently stated that negotiations are underway because Iran’s navy and air force have been “completely decimated.” However, Tehran continues to deny any such talks, recently launching its 80th wave of retaliatory strikes. By using the West Asia crisis as a backdrop, Kim Jong Un appears to be reinforcing his domestic narrative that nuclear weapons are the only reliable shield against American-led military intervention.
