Kim Jong Un says nuclear status, South Korea hostile
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- Kim Jong Un declared North Korea will permanently cement its nuclear‑armed status and labeled South Korea its "most hostile" enemy.
- Supreme People's Assembly approved a 2026 state budget raising defense spending to 15.8% of total expenditure.
- Kim Jong Un rejected US proposals to trade disarmament for security guarantees, accusing Washington of "global terrorism and aggression."
- Yang Moo‑jin of the University of North Korea Studies said the remarks reinforce Pyongyang's view that nuclear weapons are essential for regime survival.
- State Affairs Commission reappointed Kim Jong Un as its head the day before his speech.
- Supreme People's Assembly passed a revised constitution expected to remove shared nationhood references with South Korea and label it a permanent enemy.
- Blue House said Kim's declaration of South Korea as the "most hostile state" is undesirable for peaceful co‑existence.
Why it matters: The declaration cements Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence strategy, heightening tension for South Korea and limiting diplomatic avenues for the United States, while the budget increase and constitutional changes institutionalize a confrontational posture that hardens regional security dynamics across the peninsula in the coming years.
