"Kim must have thought Iran was attacked like that because it didn't have nuclear weapons, Song Seong-jong, a professor at Daejeon University and a former official of South Korea's defence ministry, said after the Middle East conflict erupted. North Korea is several years into a nuclear weapons programme that has gathered momentum despite UN sanctions and Trump's attempts to use diplomacy to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons."
"According to a report released in 2025 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the North has assembled about 50 warheads and possesses enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more. What is certain is Kim's decision to make nuclear deterrence"
"For Kim and the dynasty that has ruled North Korea since it was founded by his grandfather in 1948, the nuclear programme is about nothing less than regime survival."
North Korea conducted a naval missile test demonstrating progress in arming ships with nuclear weapons, with leader Kim Jong-un emphasizing the development's significance. The test occurred amid US and Israeli military operations against Iran, which Kim likely interpreted as evidence that non-nuclear regimes face existential threats. North Korea's nuclear program, ongoing since 2006, has intensified despite UN sanctions and diplomatic efforts. According to 2025 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data, North Korea possesses approximately 50 assembled warheads and sufficient fissile material for 40 additional weapons. The regime views nuclear deterrence as essential for survival, with the Middle East conflict reinforcing this strategic priority.
#north-korea-nuclear-weapons #regime-survival-strategy #middle-east-geopolitics #nuclear-deterrence #military-modernization
Read at www.theguardian.com
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