North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced a new policy to “exponentially” increase the country’s nuclear weapons arsenal, CNN reports, citing the state media outlet KCNA.
In a speech marking North Korea’s founding anniversary on Monday, Kim stated that the country is now implementing a strategy to “more thoroughly prepare its nuclear capability and its readiness to use it properly at any given time in ensuring the security rights of the state.”
He further emphasized the need for a strong military presence to confront “the various threats posed by the United States and its followers.”
This declaration comes amidst heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, with North Korea conducting a series of ballistic missile tests in recent months.
The United States has repeatedly condemned North Korea’s weapons program and has called for a complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. However, diplomatic efforts to achieve this goal have stalled in recent years.
