Kim vows to ‘irreversibly’ cement North Korea’s nuclear status, calls South ‘most hostile’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining North Korea’s nuclear arsenal while taking an increasingly hostile stance toward South Korea, which he described as his country’s “most hostile” adversary, according to state media reports released Tuesday.

Speaking to North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly on Monday, Kim denounced the United States for what he characterized as global “state terrorism and aggression,” in what appeared to be a reference to conflicts in the Middle East. He pledged that North Korea would take a stronger role in opposing Washington amid what he claimed is growing anti-American sentiment worldwide.

Despite his criticisms, Kim avoided directly naming U.S. President Donald Trump and maintained a relatively measured tone regarding potential U.S. relations, stating that whether his adversaries “choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is up to them, and we are prepared to respond to any choice.”

Kim’s remarks largely echoed statements he made during last month’s Workers’ Party Congress, where he criticized Seoul harshly but left open possibilities for engagement with the Trump administration. He continues to insist that Washington must abandon demands for North Korea’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for any negotiations.

The Supreme People’s Assembly, which serves as North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament, concluded its two-day session Monday by passing constitutional revisions, though state media did not detail the specific changes. Analysts had anticipated the amendments would formally designate South Korea as a permanent enemy and eliminate references to shared Korean nationhood, reflecting Kim’s 2024 declaration that North Korea was abandoning its long-held goal of peaceful reunification with the South.

Security experts suggest Kim’s increasingly antagonistic position toward South Korea stems from his assessment that Seoul no longer serves a useful purpose as an intermediary with Washington and instead impedes his regional ambitions. Kim has also demonstrated concern about South Korean cultural influence, implementing aggressive measures to restrict South Korean culture and language among North Koreans as part of efforts to strengthen his family’s authoritarian control.

In his parliamentary address, Kim expressed satisfaction with North Korea’s rapid development of nuclear weapons and missile technology, describing it as the “right” strategic choice to counter what he termed “hegemonic pursuits” by “gangsterlike” imperialist powers—language typically directed at the United States and its allies.

“The dignity of the nation, its national interest and its ultimate victory can only be guaranteed by the strongest of power,” Kim declared. “The government of our republic will continue to consolidate our absolutely irreversible status as a nuclear power and will aggressively wage a struggle against hostile forces to crush their provocations and schemes.”

Kim has suspended substantive dialogue with both Washington and Seoul since his second summit with Trump collapsed in 2019 over disagreements regarding international sanctions against North Korea.

In recent months, Kim has pivoted toward strengthening ties with Russia, reportedly deploying thousands of North Korean troops and substantial military equipment to support Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine. This assistance is widely believed to be in exchange for economic aid and military technology transfers from Russia.

As the Ukraine conflict potentially moves toward resolution, some analysts suggest Kim may be maintaining a somewhat restrained approach toward the United States to preserve diplomatic options for the future. His ultimate objectives likely include securing relief from crippling economic sanctions and gaining implicit recognition of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power.

However, other experts note that recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran, including the killing of Iran’s previous supreme leader, may have raised Kim’s threshold for reengaging in dialogue with Washington, further complicating prospects for diplomatic progress on the Korean Peninsula.