SEOUL, August 19, 2025 – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on August 18, 2025, for the rapid expansion of North Korea's nuclear weapons capability during a visit to the naval destroyer Choe Hyon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim made the remarks amid ongoing annual joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, which began on August 18, 2025. He described the US-South Korea military drills as an "obvious manifestation" of their intent to ignite a war.
"The US-ROK intensified military nexus and the muscle-flexing are the most obvious manifestation of their will to ignite a war," Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. "The prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization."
During his visit to the Choe Hyon destroyer on August 18, Kim received a report on the warship's weapons systems and expressed satisfaction that the major tasks for making the navy high-tech and nuclear-armed were progressing as planned ahead of an assessment target in October 2025.
The United States and South Korea's joint exercises, which started on August 18, 2025, are scheduled to last eleven days and include several large-scale live-fire training events. The US Army described the drills as "defense oriented exercises" aimed at preparing for potential threats from nuclear-armed North Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June 2025, pledged on August 15, 2025, to respect North Korea's political system and build military trust, signaling a willingness to pursue dialogue without preconditions. However, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, stated on August 14, 2025, that North Korea has "no will to improve relations" with South Korea and denied reports of removing propaganda loudspeakers near the border.
This development comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea emphasizing its nuclear weapons program as a deterrent against perceived threats from the US and South Korea.
