Kim Jong-un says he will expand production of nuclear material

North Korean leader inspects new tactical nuclear warheads, calling his weapons program defensive.

Kim Jong-un inspecting nuclear weapons on Monday. Picture: KCNA via AFP

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for expanding the production of nuclear material to boost the country’s arsenal exponentially, saying his weapons program was aimed at defending the country.

Photographs released by North Korean state media on Tuesday showed Kim inspecting new tactical nuclear warheads, called Hwasan-31, for the first time. About 10 red and green nuclear warheads were displayed alongside short-range ballistic missiles and long-range cruise missiles. He also reviewed plans for a nuclear counter-attack and was briefed on a nuclear-weapons management system called Haekbangashoe, which means nuclear trigger, state media said.

“Only when we perfectly prepare the ability to use nuclear weapons at any time and from any place will we ensure that we will forever not have to use nuclear weapons,” Kim said during the inspection.

He called on his nuclear scientists to increase production of the weapons-grade fissile material used to make nuclear bombs.

North Korea increased its stockpile of plutonium to 70kg in 2022, adding 20kg from 2020, according to a white paper published last year by South Korea’s Defence Ministry.

The nuclear warheads North Korea displayed on Tuesday could be mock-ups that show the regime is planning to develop warheads that can be fitted on a variety of missiles, said Yang Uk, a military expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank in Seoul. He said it was too early to determine what the warheads’ capabilities might be.

North Korea has successfully tested short- and long-range missiles and a variety of launching platforms, including submarines and trains. “The warheads are the last step in proving it can deploy nuclear-capable missiles,” Dr Yang said. In the past, after showcasing nuclear warheads, North Korea has conducted a nuclear test to gauge the explosive power of its weapons, he said.

USS Nimitz docked in Busan on Tuesday. Picture: AFP

US and South Korean officials have been saying since last year that North Korea stands prepared to do another nuclear test.

Pyongyang has ramped up weapons testing in recent weeks in response to military exercises by the US and its allies. In recent days, North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles and revealed a new underwater drone it says could conduct nuclear attacks.

Two short-range missiles launched on Monday were part of a drill simulating tactical nuclear attacks, state media said on Tuesday, adding the test involved mock nuclear warheads that detonated in the air. North Korea last week said its underwater drone also detonated a mock warhead, threatening to create a “radioactive tsunami.”

On Monday, Seoul’s military said the underwater drone was still in the early stages of development and that Pyongyang was exaggerating its capabilities.

The USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier, arrived in South Korea’s port of Busan on Tuesday, in a show of strength against North Korea. The US and South Korea are conducting amphibious landing exercises until April 3. In a commentary published on Tuesday, North Korea condemned the joint military drills again, accusing the US of destroying peace and stability in the region.

North Korea has been focusing on rallying domestic support for its nuclear and missile program, with state media reporting on hundreds of thousands of young North Koreans signing up for military service and justifying its weapons build-up as a means to defend against US and South Korean forces, said Lee Ho-ryung, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses, a state-run think tank in Seoul.

“National support for his nuclear and missile program helps Kim shift the focus away from economic problems and food shortages,” Ms Lee said.

The Wall Street Journal