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PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled his nation’s latest advanced weaponry at a high-profile defence exhibition on Thursday, using the platform to deliver a scathing critique of U.S. policies and highlight his deepening alignment with Russia. At the National Defense Development-2024 exhibition in Pyongyang, Kim declared that negotiations with Washington had only confirmed its “unchangeable invasive and hostile” stance.
Kim’s comments and the weapons display underscored North Korea’s shift toward military escalation and strategic partnerships as it seeks to counter what it perceives as growing threats from the United States and its allies.
“We have already gone as far as possible with the United States through negotiations,” Kim said, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). “What we confirmed was not the willingness of a superpower to coexist, but its unrelenting policy of force.”
Kim’s remarks come as speculation grows about whether former U.S. President Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House could revive the stalled talks between Washington and Pyongyang. During Trump’s first term, he held three summits with Kim, starting with a groundbreaking meeting in Singapore in 2018. However, the talks collapsed in 2019 after disagreements over sanctions relief and denuclearization.
Since then, North Korea has ramped up its weapons development, conducting frequent missile tests and unveiling increasingly sophisticated systems designed to target the U.S. mainland, South Korea, and Japan. Trump recently suggested that his relationship with Kim could lead to renewed diplomacy, but experts doubt the North Korean leader’s willingness to return to the negotiating table.
“Kim Jong Un has shifted his strategy entirely,” said one regional analyst. “Rather than engaging in diplomacy, he’s focused on building a powerful military to deter perceived threats and solidify his bargaining power.”
The Pyongyang exhibition showcased an array of advanced weaponry, signaling North Korea’s continued push for military self-reliance. Among the highlights were intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) such as the solid-fuel Hwasong-19, which debuted last month, and the Hwasong-18, first seen in April. The North also displayed medium-to-long-range hypersonic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and drones, including a newly revealed attack model capable of self-destruction.
Kim called the developments “eye-opening progress,” crediting the advancements to the North Korean people’s ingenuity and resilience in the face of sanctions.
Weapons reportedly supplied to Russia were also prominently displayed, including artillery systems and anti-tank missile systems. This bolstered suspicions that North Korea has been aiding Moscow in its war in Ukraine, potentially in exchange for economic aid and technology transfers.
North Korea has already sent over 10,000 troops to assist Russian forces in the conflict, according to multiple reports, further cementing its role as a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kim’s speech underscored a broader geopolitical shift, as Pyongyang strengthens ties with Moscow while ramping up aggressive rhetoric against the United States and South Korea. North Korea views its growing arsenal as a critical counterbalance to what it sees as an evolving threat from U.S. alliances in the region, including South Korea and Japan.
“North Korea realizes every day and every hour that achieving the most powerful military capabilities is the only way to maintain peace and guarantee security,” Kim said.
The Biden administration has condemned North Korea’s deepening alliance with Russia, calling arms transfers between the two nations a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. However, experts warn that the weakening enforcement of sanctions and North Korea’s strengthening military capabilities pose significant challenges to Washington’s efforts to curb Kim’s nuclear ambitions.
Kim’s foreign policy has embraced the idea of a “new Cold War,” with North Korea positioning itself as a counterweight to Western powers. Analysts believe Pyongyang’s expanding arsenal is aimed at forcing Washington to accept it as a nuclear power, leveraging its military strength to secure economic concessions from a position of dominance.
For now, the prospect of diplomacy appears distant. Instead, Kim’s government is focused on accelerating its weapons development and reinforcing its alliances with nations like Russia.
North Korea’s National Defense Development-2024 exhibition showcased more than just weapons — it highlighted a nation steadfast in its pursuit of military power as a means of survival and leverage. As the U.S. and its allies weigh their next moves, Kim’s strategy of aligning with Moscow and embracing a militarized posture has introduced a new layer of complexity to an already fraught global landscape.
The Biden administration must grapple with the challenges posed by Pyongyang’s growing arsenal, shifting alliances, and increasingly aggressive rhetoric. As Kim doubles down on his military ambitions, the stakes for regional and global stability have never been higher.
