North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, said that Pyongyang has deployed “special assets” against what he called US military buildup in South Korea, AFP reported citing state media.
Last month, the North Korean leader oversaw an attack drone test and ordered to increase the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in drone production.
Countering US Military Presence
During the opening of a defense industry exhibition in Pyongyang, Kim revealed the deployment of “special assets” in response to Washington’s military buildup in South Korea.
“In direct proportion to the US military’s arms buildup in the ROK region, our strategic concern about this region has also grown, and accordingly we have assigned our special assets to the major targets,” he said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The North Korean leader added that he was “closely watching” the military developments across the border. “The enemy… will have to worry about which direction their security environment is moving in,” Kim noted.
US-South Korea Alliance
The US maintains a military presence of around 28,500 troops in South Korea to stave off military threats from the nuclear-armed North. Moreover, the US conducted a joint military drill last month with South Korea and Japan.
North Korea views these exercises as rehearsals for invasion, while the US and its Asian allies say they are for defensive purposes.
In the light of this, Kim said in his speech: “The US-ROK nuclear alliance is making rapid progress, and they are conducting various kinds of exercises to execute dangerous scenarios.”
Nuclear Dilemma
North Korea has consistently rejected US and international calls for giving up its nuclear arsenal. As a result, Pyongyang has been subject to successive rounds of UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs.
Although North Korea’s nuclear weapons have been a sticking issue in its relations with the US, Kim signaled last month that he was open to talks with the US President, Donald Trump, stipulating that his country does not give up its nuclear arsenal.
Both Kim and Trump held three high-profile summits during Trump’s first term. However, negotiations broke down at the Hanoi summit in 2019 over Pyongyang’s unwillingness to concede on its atomic weapons program.
Since then, North Korea has insisted that it will never abandon its nuclear weapons and declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state.
Showing Off Military Capabilities
In September 2025, Kim oversaw an attack drone test involving an unmanned vehicle destroying a target. According to KCNA, the drill demonstrated the “excellent combat effectiveness of Kumsong-series tactical attack drones.”
The North Korean leader reportedly expressed satisfaction with the results, ordering “efforts to rapidly developing the newly-introduced artificial intelligence technology” as well as the “expanding and strengthening” of drone production capabilities.
Recently, North Korea has been strengthening its military ties with Russia, sending troops and artillery to support Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, Reuters reported citing South Korean officials.
Kim has also been tightening relations with China, attending a military parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, alongside Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
