North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the newly-inaugurated nuclear materials production factory at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
Kim Jong Un vows to strengthen North Korea’s nuclear capabilities
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced Wednesday that North Korea's production of nuclear materials suitable for weapons has more than doubled over the past five years, pledging to further strengthen the country's military nuclear capabilities.
During a visit to a new nuclear materials production facility, Kim said North Korea has "an ambitious future plan aimed at rapidly enhancing the state's nuclear forces," according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday.
North Korea views its nuclear arsenal as a shield against any potential attack by South Korea and the US forces stationed there.
Regarding the plan to expand nuclear capabilities, Kim said: "This represents an astonishing and successful transformation beyond description. It is a historic event that marks a major milestone in the rapid development of our nuclear capabilities."
Despite US pressure, North Korea insists it will not abandon its nuclear arsenal, describing its nuclear path as "irreversible."
Pyongyang withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1993 and has since conducted six nuclear tests, leading to numerous United Nations and international sanctions.
