North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military scientists and senior officials to intensify efforts in what he described as the country’s enduring North Korea nuclear strategy, calling the buildup of nuclear forces the “backbone” of national survival.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with his nuclear team, Kim said, “we must constantly sharpen and renew the nuclear shield and sword that can reliably guarantee national sovereignty, security and interests and the right to development.”
The declaration underscores Pyongyang’s renewed determination to strengthen its nuclear program even as international powers press for negotiations. According to state media, Kim told scientists that “production of nuclear materials and weapons was an essential top priority.”
The emphasis on expanding the arsenal reflects his continued drive to elevate North Korea’s strategic leverage and reinforce the North Korea nuclear strategy that has been central to his leadership.
New nuclear doctrine and priorities
Kim’s remarks included reference to “a new important nuclear strategy,” though he declined to share details publicly. Analysts say such a strategy could involve diversifying weapons delivery systems or advancing tactical nuclear capabilities.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that North Korea’s nuclear weapons research institute had carried out “main tasks” that may reshape the country’s future doctrine.
“The powerful deterrent, namely, the logic of peacekeeping and security by force with nuclear forces as its backbone, is the invariable stand of the DPRK,” Kim stated, using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. His words underscore how deeply embedded nuclear development is within Pyongyang’s official ideology.
Growing stockpile and enriched uranium
Kim’s comments came shortly after South Korea revealed that Pyongyang could be holding as much as 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough to build several nuclear bombs.
“Even at this very hour, uranium centrifuges at four locations in North Korea are running, probably accumulating nuclear materials,” said Unification Minister Chung Dong-young. He noted that “just 10-12 kilograms of enriched uranium is adequate to build a nuclear bomb,” underlining how dangerous North Korea’s capacity has become.
For Seoul, these revelations highlight the urgency of addressing the North Korea nuclear strategy before the stockpile grows beyond control.
Yet Chung admitted that sanctions alone cannot force Pyongyang to abandon its ambitions, suggesting instead that dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang could offer a breakthrough.
Kim hints at dialogue with the United States
In recent weeks, Kim has also expressed conditional openness to dialogue with Washington. “If the United States drops the absurd obsession with denuclearising us and accepts reality, and wants genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
At the same time, he was firm about his refusal to disarm: “The world already knows full well what the United States does after it makes a country give up its nuclear weapons and disarms. We will never give up our nuclear weapons.”
These remarks show that while Kim entertains talks, the North Korea nuclear strategy is not up for negotiation. His demand is for recognition of North Korea as a permanent nuclear state, a position the United States has so far rejected.
Memories of Trump and stalled diplomacy
Kim also invoked his personal history with former US President Donald Trump, noting he still had “fond memories” of their three meetings during Trump’s first term. Those encounters once raised hopes of a breakthrough but ultimately collapsed over irreconcilable differences.
By referencing Trump, Kim may be signaling to Washington that he still values direct leadership-level diplomacy, though this would require the US to shift from its long-standing demand for denuclearisation. “Only a nuclear counteraction can safeguard our country’s security,” Kim insisted, underscoring that his North Korea nuclear strategy is non-negotiable.
Regional tensions and military drills
The timing of Kim’s remarks coincides with heightened military activity in the region. South Korea, Japan, and the United States have conducted joint naval and air exercises, which Pyongyang condemned as a “reckless show of strength.”
These drills, known as Freedom Edge, highlight how regional alliances are preparing for any escalation linked to North Korea’s weapons program.
For Pyongyang, such maneuvers justify further strengthening its nuclear arsenal. “The nuclear shield and sword must be constantly sharpened,” Kim reiterated, suggesting the exercises reinforced his view that deterrence requires perpetual buildup.
Strategic implications
Experts say North Korea’s nuclear doctrine has shifted from deterrence alone toward possible pre-emptive use in crises. By emphasizing a North Korea nuclear strategy that combines shield and sword, Kim suggests a dual role: protecting against attack while also projecting offensive capability.
This duality makes the situation more volatile. Seoul’s analysts warn that tactical nuclear weapons aimed at South Korea or Japan could destabilize the region further, even if intercontinental systems are aimed at deterring the United States.
International response
The international community has repeatedly urged North Korea to halt its nuclear activities, but Kim’s words indicate no intention of reversing course. Instead, he is consolidating legitimacy around nuclear development. For Kim, nuclear weapons are both a survival guarantee and a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
“The nuclear shield and sword are not temporary measures but permanent fixtures of our defense,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying. This confirms that the North Korea nuclear strategy is a central pillar of statecraft, not a tactical option subject to negotiation.
Despite rising tensions, Seoul’s Chung Dong-young suggested talks remain the best path forward. “It will be desirable for [talks] to take place as soon as possible,” he said. But Kim’s insistence that “we will never give up our nuclear weapons” shows how far apart both sides remain.
For now, Pyongyang continues to expand its capabilities, testing new rocket launchers, advancing artificial intelligence for drones, and enriching uranium at undisclosed facilities. Each step strengthens the North Korea nuclear strategy, which Kim insists is the foundation of sovereignty.
With regional powers on edge and Washington weighing its approach, the question is no longer whether North Korea will abandon its nuclear program but how the world will adapt to its permanence.
Kim’s call to sharpen the “nuclear shield and sword” signals a future in which the nuclear dimension defines every aspect of diplomacy and security in Northeast Asia.
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