{"id":41466,"date":"2026-03-23T20:36:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T00:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/kim-jong-un-declares-north-koreas-nuclear-status-permanent-targets-south\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T20:36:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T00:36:46","slug":"kim-jong-un-declares-north-koreas-nuclear-status-permanent-targets-south","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/kim-jong-un-declares-north-koreas-nuclear-status-permanent-targets-south\/","title":{"rendered":"Kim Jong Un Declares North Korea’s Nuclear Status Permanent, Targets South"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un announced his nation will permanently establish itself as a nuclear-armed state while taking an aggressive position against South Korea, which he labeled as the country’s greatest enemy, according to state-controlled media reports released Tuesday.<\/p>

During an address Monday before Pyongyang’s ceremonial legislative body, Kim criticized the United States for what he termed worldwide “state terrorism and aggression,” seemingly referencing Middle Eastern conflicts, and declared North Korea would take a stronger position in opposing Washington as anti-American feelings grow. However, Kim avoided directly naming U.S. President Donald Trump and stated that “whether his adversaries choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is up to them, and we are prepared to respond to any choice.”<\/p>

These remarks echoed statements Kim made during last month’s ruling Workers’ Party Congress, where he attacked Seoul while keeping diplomatic channels open with the Trump administration, pushing Washington to abandon demands for North Korean nuclear disarmament before negotiations could begin.<\/p>

State media reported that the Supreme People’s Assembly, which wrapped up its two-day meeting Monday, approved constitutional amendments without revealing specific details. Observers had anticipated the changes would formally designate South Korea as a perpetual adversary and eliminate language about shared Korean heritage. This follows Kim’s hardline position after announcing in 2024 that North Korea would drop its historical objective of peaceful reunification with the South.<\/p>

Foreign policy experts suggest Kim’s attacks on South Korea demonstrate his belief that Seoul, which facilitated his initial Trump meetings in 2018 and 2019, no longer serves as a helpful mediator with Washington but instead blocks his efforts to expand regional influence. Kim has also demonstrated concern about South Korean cultural influence, launching intensive efforts to prevent its entertainment and language from affecting North Korean citizens while strengthening his dynasty’s totalitarian control.<\/p>

During his address, Kim praised his country’s swift nuclear weapons and missile development over recent years, describing it as the “right” decision to address future dangers and “hegemonic pursuits” by “gangsterlike” imperial powers, language North Korea typically uses for the United States and its partners.<\/p>

“The dignity of the nation, its national interest and its ultimate victory can only be guaranteed by the strongest of power,” Kim stated. “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 (anti-North Korean) provocations and schemes.”<\/p>

Kim has ended all substantial diplomatic contact with Washington and Seoul following the breakdown of his second Trump summit in 2019 due to American-imposed economic penalties against North Korea.<\/p>

Kim has recently focused on strengthening ties with Russia, deploying thousands of soldiers and substantial military supplies to assist Moscow’s Ukrainian invasion, potentially receiving assistance and weapons technology in return. With the conflict possibly nearing conclusion, analysts believe Kim may attempt to maintain flexibility by adopting a more cautious approach toward Washington to keep future negotiations possible, ultimately seeking American sanctions relief and unofficial acceptance as a nuclear nation.<\/p>

Nevertheless, some specialists think that joint American and Israeli operations against Iran and the elimination of Tehran’s former supreme leader may have increased Kim’s requirements for resuming talks with Washington.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced his nation will permanently maintain its nuclear weapons program while describing South Korea as the country’s greatest enemy. Speaking to parliament, Kim also criticized U.S. foreign policy and suggested his country would take a stronger stance against American influence globally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":41465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[832],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774312605972.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-aMO","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27457,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/kim-jong-un-threatens-south-korea-destruction-signals-openness-to-us-talks\/","url_meta":{"origin":41466,"position":0},"title":"Kim Jong Un Threatens South Korea Destruction, Signals Openness to US Talks","author":"Admin","date":"February 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his nation could obliterate South Korea if threatened while wrapping up a major party congress. 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The country's leader supervised the testing and plans to deploy some systems with front-line units facing South Korea.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779845901109.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779845901109.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779845901109.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779845901109.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25256,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-wins-party-leadership-again-amid-nuclear-expansion\/","url_meta":{"origin":41466,"position":2},"title":"North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Wins Party Leadership Again Amid Nuclear Expansion","author":"Admin","date":"February 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un secured another term as head of the ruling Workers' Party during a congress that praised his nuclear weapons development. 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