Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

North Korea Doubles Down on Military Strength Amid U.S. Tensions and Russian Alliance

POSTED ON November 22, 2024 •   World      BY Suleiman Kelvin Jimoh
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un attends the National Defense Development 2024 exhibition in Pyongyang on Nov. 21, 2024. (KCNA/AFP)

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.

 

Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump shake hands during a 2019 summit in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they meet at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. (KCNA/Reuters)

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.

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, an opening ceremony for a defense exhibition is held in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Independent journalists were not granted access, and the content cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

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.

READ ALSO
ECOWAS Leaders Stress Collective Responsibility in Combating Drug Abuse
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 28, 2025 0

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged its member countries to collaborate...

READ ALSO
French Parliament Passes Bill Assisting Patients To Die
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 28, 2025 0

The French parliament has voted to grant individuals in the final stages of terminal illness the opt...

READ ALSO
Visa 'Extraction Scheme': Africans Lose Over €60M Annually to Denied Western Visas, Sparking Outcry and Reform Demands
BY Suleiman Jimoh May 28, 2025 0

The Brief•    Africa lost over €56 million in non-refundable Schengen visa fees...

READ ALSO
Russian Airstrikes Claim 12 Lives Amid Ongoing Prisoner Swap
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 25, 2025 0

Russian airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 12 individuals in Ukraine overnight into Sunda...

READ ALSO
Australia's Central Bank Cuts Interest Rate to 3.85% Amid Global Tariff Uncertainty
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 20, 2025 0

On Tuesday, Australia’s central bank reduced its main interest rate to its lowest level in two...

READ ALSO
Trump Launches Investigation into Kamala Harris over Celebrity Endorsements
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 19, 2025 0

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to initiate a “major investigation...

READ ALSO
Trade Tensions Rise as South Korea and U.S. Prepare for Key Discussions
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 16, 2025 0

AFP - South Korea is prepared to restart tariff discussions with Washington during an important APEC...

READ ALSO
Will Pope Leo XIV Lose His American Citizenship? A Legal and Diplomatic Puzzle Unfolds
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 14, 2025 0

VATICAN CITY – When Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV on May 8, he beca...

OUR CHANNELS:

FULL TEXT: President Tinubu’s second-year anniversary speech
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

Fellow Nigerians, as we mark the second anniversary of our administration, I salute your resilience...


Former CBN Governor Seeks to Overturn Forfeiture of Abuja Estate
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has filed a petiti...


MAY 29: Fubara Reaffirms Commitment to Rivers State Amid Political Turmoil
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

RIVERS, Nigeria - Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his commitment...


South Africa Surpasses Nigeria in Fuel Imports Amid Dangote Refinery Operations
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

Nigeria has lost its long-standing title as Africa’s largest importer of refined petroleum pro...


Ogun Calls Athlete Protest "Impatience" Amid Unpaid Allowances
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

OGUN, Nigeria - The Ogun State Government has labeled the protest held by athletes representing the...


SEC Flags Silverkuun Investment Cooperative as Unregistered, Warn Nigerians
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has cautioned Nigerians about putting their money in un...


ECOWAS Leaders Stress Collective Responsibility in Combating Drug Abuse
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged its member countries to collaborate...


Nigeria to Launch 7,000 Digital Hospitals to Transform Rural Healthcare
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, Bosun Tijani, says...


Buhari Urges Patience with Economic Reforms under Tinubu's Leadership
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians that the ongoing economic reforms under his suc...


WHO Struggles to Stabilize Finances Amid $1.7 Billion Deficit and Major Donor Withdrawal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

The World Health Organization (WHO) attempted to stabilize its finances during its annual assembly t...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu