North Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
Kim Jong Un Reaffirms Nuclear State, Vows to Expand Military Might
Key Points
The 2nd plenary session of the 9th Central Committee of North Korea's Workers' Party was held from June 20 to 22, described as the party's main deliberative body between congresses and typically convened twice a year.
Kim ordered that work to further increase 'powerful national defense assets' be carried out forcefully, without pause, entirely in our own way, with the goal of achieving a level that can overwhelm the world.
The meeting highlighted that South Korea is pursuing nuclear submarines as part of its modernization drive, alongside ongoing U.S.-ROK military upgrades.
KCNA did not elaborate on any specific future actions for North Korea's nuclear arsenal, leaving details of potential further moves unspecified at this time.
The plenary also reaffirmed a united front with anti-imperialist, independent forces and pledged to oppose imperialist powers.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his country must remain and act as a nuclear state to survive a dangerous world, state media KCNA reported on June 23. The announcement came after a three-day Workers' Party plenary session that ended with orders to build a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser and to rapidly expand the country's nuclear arsenal.
Kim blamed the United States and South Korea for what he called "gangster-like" behavior, pointing to six joint U.S.-South Korea nuclear warfare simulations and Seoul's new nuclear submarine program as direct threats requiring a stronger deterrent, according to France 24.
Three-Day Plenary Sets Military Targets for 2026
The 2nd Plenary Session of the 9th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea ran from June 20 to 22 in Pyongyang. Kim chaired the session and used it to formally endorse a sweeping military buildup. He ordered that work to increase "powerful national defense assets" be carried out "without pause" and "entirely in our own way," with a goal of achieving a level that can "overwhelm the world," KCNA reported.
The plenary also reaffirmed North Korea's ties with what it called anti-imperialist forces, a nod to deepening relations with China. Chinese President Xi Jinping had visited Pyongyang on June 8 and 9 — his first trip there in seven years — reaffirming what both sides called a new phase in relations, according to RFI.
South Korea's Nuclear Submarines Spark North's Cruiser Plans
A key trigger for the plenary's military focus was South Korea's May 26 announcement of a roadmap to build nuclear-powered attack submarines. The program, called Jang Bogo-N, targets an 8,000-ton vessel by the mid-2030s. President Donald Trump reportedly gave the green light for some construction to take place at U.S. shipyards, according to Yahoo News.
North Korea responded by ordering a 10,000-ton guided missile cruiser — larger than South Korea's 8,200-ton King Jeongjo-class destroyers. Analysts note the size gap may be intentional. Kim Jae Yeop of the Sungkyun Institute says Pyongyang likely lacks the miniaturized reactor needed for its own nuclear submarine, making a large surface warship the next best option for projecting naval power.
Nuclear Material Production Has Doubled in Five Years
The military push is backed by a fast-growing nuclear stockpile. On June 3, Kim toured a uranium enrichment facility and revealed that weapons-grade nuclear material production has more than doubled over the past five years, according to Head Topics. Experts expect North Korea's tactical warhead count to grow sharply through 2027.
Kim Yo Jong, Kim's sister and a senior party official, sharpened the rhetoric ahead of the plenary. After the G7 summit on June 15 called for "complete denuclearization" of North Korea, she fired back on June 18, calling denuclearization an "irreversibly finalized agenda." She warned that anyone who tries to hurt "the core interests of a nuclear weapons state would make the worst option of inviting disaster."
G7 Demands Denuclearization, but Pyongyang Has Already Moved On
Western nations remain firm on paper. The G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, issued a joint call for "complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization" of North Korea. But after multiple failed diplomatic cycles between 2018 and 2024, analysts say Pyongyang now treats its nuclear status as a legal and political fact — not a bargaining chip, according to France 24.
The U.S. and South Korea have also shifted their own framework. Their Nuclear Consultative Group held its 6th meeting on June 11, simulating "nuclear and conventional integrated" warfare. Critics say this move away from a denuclearization model toward nuclear deterrence management raises the risk of accidental escalation on the Korean Peninsula, according to RFI.
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