North Korea accuses US, Japan, and South Korea of fueling tensions, vows nuclear expansion

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has blamed the United States, Japan, and South Korea for escalating tensions in the region, accusing them of destabilising security through military cooperation, state media reported.

During a visit to North Korea's Ministry of National Defence, Kim outlined plans to strengthen the country's nuclear deterrence, reaffirming a commitment to advancing its nuclear arsenal. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), he condemned the US for orchestrating military manoeuvres in the region and labelled Washington as the central force behind a "war machine."

Kim pointed to US-led nuclear war exercises, the deployment of American strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, and trilateral military cooperation with Japan and South Korea as factors creating a "new conflicting structure" in Northeast Asia. He warned that these actions could lead to the formation of an "Asian version of NATO," a development Pyongyang views as a direct threat.

The remarks follow a summit between former US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Washington on February 7. Kim also accused the US of prolonging the Russia-Ukraine war, claiming Western nations are fueling the conflict to weaken Russia. North Korea has actively supported Russia, reportedly deploying over 11,000 troops to aid Moscow’s military campaign.

Following a White House statement reaffirming Washington’s goal of "complete denuclearisation of North Korea," Pyongyang rejected any negotiations on its nuclear program. North Korea insisted its nuclear weapons are not a bargaining tool but a necessary deterrent against potential attacks.

Meanwhile, Trump addressed relations with North Korea at a press conference with Ishiba, saying, "We had a good relationship, and I think it's a very big asset for everybody. I get along with him, he gets along with me. And that's a good thing, not a bad thing."

During his first term, Trump met Kim twice, holding summits in Singapore in 2018 and Hanoi in 2019, but efforts toward denuclearisation stalled. North Korea's latest statements signal a hardened stance, raising further concerns about security in the region.