NORTH KOREA: PYONGYANG VOWS TO CONTINUE EXPANDING ITS NUCLEAR ARSENAL
North Korean Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang Il said Pyongyang will continue developing its nuclear forces, arguing that the strengthening of the U.S. military arsenal justifies further expansion of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
Speaking at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Kim said North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is “irreversible” and that the country will continue strengthening its nuclear deterrent.
Pyongyang portrays its nuclear program as a defensive measure against the United States and its allies, while regularly accusing Washington of maintaining a hostile policy and contributing to rising military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.