North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has defended his country's decision to maintain nuclear weapons, saying the ongoing war involving Iran demonstrates the need for a strong military deterrence, according to the South Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (Pics/AFP)
Updated On: 2026-03-25 02:45 PM IST
Compiled by : ronak mastakar
In remarks reported by KCNA, Kim on Tuesday, in a speech to North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, accused the United States of carrying out "terrorism and invasions" across different regions, referring to Washington's ongoing conflict with Iran, though he did not directly mention US President Donald Trump.
"Dignity, interest and the final victory of a country can only be guaranteed by the most powerful might," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying. " Whether the enemies choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence, that's their choice, and we are ready to respond to any choice."
He vowed to further advance North Korea's "defensive nuclear deterrence" and maintain a "prompt and precise" response posture for its nuclear forces to address "strategic threats" to national and regional security, as reported by KCNA.
North Korea "will continue to solidify its status as a nuclear weapons state ... while aggressively staging campaigns to crush any provocations by hostile forces," Kim said, as quoted by KCNA.
In the same address, Kim also escalated rhetoric toward South Korea, formally declaring it the "most hostile nation."
