North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has increased threats of military action in recent months. These developments mark a significant jump in the country’s nuclear and missile programs. Just last month—in September 2024—he supervised the testing of a new tactical ballistic missile. He portrayed all this new arms build-up as a direct response to the threats he sees coming from the United States and US allies in Asia. This recent move comes against the backdrop of intensifying heat on the Korean Peninsula and increasing fears that North Korea’s military ties are going global.
Kim Jong Un has accelerated North Korea’s military advancements, particularly highlighting naval capabilities as crucial to the nation’s nuclear-armed military. In April, he opened a new destroyer. Experts have since come to view it as the largest and most technologically advanced warship ever constructed by North Korea. Analysts are convinced that Russia had a significant role in building the vessel. Further exacerbating this scenario is the worry that Moscow would retaliate to such a move by providing North Korea with sophisticated weapons technology.
Naval Advancements and Military Strategy
Kim Jong Un has been putting increased emphasis on strengthening North Korea’s naval forces. Yet he is worried that, for instance, they are falling behind South Korea’s ability. Here, he argues that naval advancement is key to strengthening the overall posture of the country’s military. Back in May, he was a fly on the wall as a new destroyer was put into ceremony. This underscores how much Kim values naval capabilities in bolstering North Korea’s offensive and defensive approaches.
The celebratory spirit at the launch ceremony was soon overshadowed by a disastrous passenger train collision that has attracted fierce condemnation from Kim. He ascribed the disaster to the total negligence and lack of accountability of military leaders, scientists and shipyard workers. Their unscientific empiricism was a big factor in the project’s doomed outcome. Though injured, he led the first test firing of missiles from the otherwise-damaged destroyer. This decision then underscored his commitment to continue pushing North Korea’s development of military capabilities forward, regardless of the risks.
“serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism” – Kim Jong Un
Heightened Regional Tensions
The recent developments in North Korea’s military capabilities have raised alarm among neighboring countries, particularly the United States and South Korea. The U.S. and its allies are right to be alarmed at Kim Jong Un’s continued devotion to advancing North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. These developments are dangerous not only to regional stability but raise the temperature on the Korean Peninsula itself.
Experts note that Kim Jong Un’s military endeavors are part of a broader strategy to bolster North Korea’s deterrent capabilities against perceived external threats. The test-firing of missiles from this newly introduced destroyer only serves to underscore such a strategy. With state media reporting that the damaged vessel is expected to enter active duty early next year, analysts are monitoring how this could shift the balance of power in the region.
Support for Russia’s War in Ukraine
Beyond shoring up his own military, Kim Jong Un is providing weapons and troops. Next, he wants to help Russia prosecute its never-ending war on Ukraine. This alliance’s implications have fueled even more concern in Western nations about North Korea’s expanding military relationships. This possible barter of military-related technology between Russia and North Korea poses a significant and direct security threat. America’s failure to contain this threat jeopardizes stability in East Asia as well as the world.
As tensions mount and military activities intensify, Kim Jong Un continues to pursue a path that prioritizes military strength as a means of ensuring North Korea’s security interests. The international community is keeping its eyes open, knowing that one side’s miscalculation could spark greater escalation in a region already fraught with danger.
