North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a nuclear material production facility and called for strengthening the country’s nuclear capabilities, state media reported Wednesday.
The move comes as North Korea seeks to increase pressure on the United States after President Donald Trump’s return to the highest office.
Kim’s visit points out North Korea’s continued push to expand its nuclear arsenal, despite Trump expressing willingness to engage in renewed diplomacy.
Analysts suggest Pyongyang’s weapons developments are part of a broader strategy to leverage negotiations with Washington for potential aid and political concessions.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim toured a nuclear-material production base and the nuclear weapons institute, though the exact locations were not disclosed.
However, images released by North Korean state media suggest he likely visited the same uranium-enrichment facility he inspected last September—the first such site publicly disclosed since North Korea showcased one to visiting American scholars in 2010.
During his visit, North Korean leader praised the scientists and workers for “producing weapons-grade nuclear materials and in strengthening the nuclear shield of the country.”
North Korea’s weapons activity has sped-up recently.
On Sunday, Pyongyang announced it had tested a cruise missile system—its third known weapons test this year—while vowing “the toughest” response to what it called increasing US-South Korean military drills. North Korea perceives these joint exercises as invasion rehearsals, though Washington and Seoul insist they are strictly defensive.
With Trump’s second term under way, speculation is growing over a possible diplomatic revival between the US and North Korea. Trump met with Kim three times during his first term, but talks collapsed in 2019 over disagreements on US-led sanctions.
In a Fox News interview aired Thursday, Trump described Kim as “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot.” When asked if he planned to reach out to Kim again, Trump responded, “I will, yeah.”
Many experts believe Kim now sees himself in a stronger negotiating position than during his previous talks with Trump, given North Korea’s expanded nuclear arsenal and its growing military ties with Russia.
