North Korean Leader Vows Rapid Nuclear Expansion Amid Military Drills

As of August 19th, 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has strongly condemned the ongoing South Korea-US military drills, vowing a rapid expansion of his country's nuclear forces to counter what he perceives as growing threats from rivals.

Kim's comments came during his visit on August 18th to inspect the North's most advanced warship, the 5,000-ton-class destroyer Choe Hyon, which is being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. He claimed the allies' joint military exercises, which mobilize 21,000 troops, have grown more "provocative" by incorporating a "nuclear element," requiring the North to respond with "proactive and overwhelming" countermeasures.

The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which the allies describe as defensive, is the latest in a series of joint drills that North Korea has long denounced as invasion rehearsals. Kim asserted that the security environment around North Korea is "getting more serious day by day," necessitating a "radical and swift change" in the country's military strategy and a "rapid expansion of nuclearization."

The new South Korean government under President Lee Jae Myung, who has expressed a willingness to repair ties and resume dialogue with the North, did not immediately respond to Kim's comments. However, South Korean and US military officials say the ongoing exercise will focus on countering North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threat, including training to deter the use of North Korean nuclear weapons and respond to missile attacks.