Kim Jong Un promises to 'steadily strengthen' North Korea's 'nuclear force'
Nuclear weaponization remains a cornerstone of North Korea's international posturing
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}North Korea is promising to refine its weapons development and strengthen its nuclear capabilities.
Supreme leader Kim Jong Un made the comments Monday at a state event celebrating the country's 76th anniversary.
"The obvious conclusion is that the nuclear force of the DPRK and the posture capable of properly using it for ensuring the state's right to security in any time should be more thoroughly perfected," the dictator said.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting of Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
"DPRK" is an abbreviation for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim Jong Un warned that the United States' increased involvement in the region has forced the regime to pursue more powerful weapons as a deterrence mechanism.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The DPRK will steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states and redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat," the supreme leader said.
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South Korean civilians watch footage of a North Korean missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
North Korea has sought to both augment its self-defense capabilities and strengthen its regional alliances against the United States.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 14th Supreme People's Assembly, the unicameral legislative body of the country, amended the national constitution last year to enshrine nuclear weaponization as a core principle.
Kim Jong Un met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, affirming the two nations' shared history and commitment to mutual defensive support.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russian President Vladimir Putin, center and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un, center left, review an honor guard during an official welcome ceremony in the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. ((Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP))
Li Hongzhong, a high-ranking official within the Chinese Communist Party, traveled to North Korea in July for a similar goodwill visit.
The Russia-China-North Korea triad's increasing cooperation against Western interests has made their alliance a significant consideration for U.S. and NATO officials.