North Korea obsessed with its nuclear power expansion

“The current situation requires a radical and rapid change in existing military theory and practice, as well as a rapid expansion of nuclearization,” said the leader of atomic-armed North Korea.

On Monday, the US and South Korean militaries launched their annual joint military maneuvers aimed at improving cooperation in the event of conflict with the North.

Pyongyang regularly criticizes these exercises, dubbed “Ulchi Freedom Shield”, regarding them as preparations for an invasion. Pyongyang sometimes responds with test firings.

The U.S. Army has assured us that these military maneuvers have a “defensive vocation”. Ulchi Freedom Shield” is scheduled to last eleven days and includes “several large-scale live ammunition practices”.

These new statements by the Korean leader follow his visit to the domestically-built destroyer Choe Hyon on Monday. The ship is intended to become a “high-tech nuclear-armed” vessel, and its development is progressing “as planned”, Kim Jong-un said.

North Korea plans to build a third 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer by next October, and is currently testing cruise missiles and anti-aircraft missiles to equip these warships.

The new South Korean president elected in early June, Lee Jae-myung (center-left), promised on Friday to “respect” North Korea’s political system and build bilateral “military trust”. Mr. Lee wants dialogue without preconditions, in contrast to his predecessor, who maintained a hard line with his northern neighbor.

In response, Pyongyang declared that it had no interest in easing tensions with Seoul.

Efforts by the US and its allies to curb North Korea’s nuclear development are expected to be discussed at an upcoming meeting in Washington between Lee Jae-myung and his US counterpart Donald Trump.