Kim Jong Un Brands US-Japan-South Korea Alliance as “Asian NATO” and Vows Unlimited Nuclear Expansion

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to expand his nation’s nuclear capabilities “without limit,” citing threats from the growing security alliance between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, reports Bloomberg citing North Korean state media.

At a conference of battalion commanders, Kim accused the US of destabilizing the region by supporting Ukraine and described the trilateral partnership as an “Asian version of NATO.”

“The US, Japan and South Korea will never get away from the responsibility as the culprits of destroying the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region,” Kim said.

“The most important and critical task for our armed forces is preparations for a war.”

According to Yonhap, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the United States, South Korea, and Japan began the second large-scale trilateral exercise, Freedom Edge, on November 13, involving units from the army, navy, air force, and cyber forces.

In recent months, North Korea tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile and showcased expanded uranium enrichment facilities.

North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops to aid Russia’s war in Ukraine, with experts warning the number could rise to 100,000 as the Pyongyang-Moscow alliance deepens.

The announcement follows US President Joe Biden’s meeting with Japanese and South Korean leaders in Lima, Peru, where Biden called for coordinated efforts to counter North Korea’s “destabilizing” cooperation with Russia, according to Bloomberg.