North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country would increase its stockpile of nuclear weapons in a “geometrical progression” due to threats from the United States and its allies, according to state media.
Kim made the comments during a speech on Monday marking the 76th anniversary of North Korea’s founding. He said the “reckless expansion of the military bloc system led by the US” posed a “grave threat” to Pyongyang.
The obvious conclusion is that the nuclear force of the DPRK [North Korea] and the posture capable of properly using it for ensuring the state’s right to security in any time should be more thoroughly perfected. We are now perfectly carrying out the policy on building the nuclear armed forces on increasing the number of nuclear weapons by geometrical progression.
In his speech, Kim said North Korea was a “responsible nuclear weapons state.”
We are constantly exposed to a serious nuclear threat,” he said. “Our nuclear weapons for defending ourselves do not pose a threat to anyone.
According to a recent study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, North Korea assembled about 50 warheads and possessed enough fissile material to build up to 90 warheads.
South Korea and the US recently completed a 13-day military exercise to land an amphibious landing near the southeastern city of Pohang. Last week, the allies also concluded the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield summer joint exercise, which North Korea condemned as “the most offensive and provocative war drills for aggression.”
