Speaking at a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim said expanding a “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” was essential for national security, economic development and regional stability, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Kim rejected the possibility of exchanging nuclear disarmament for economic incentives or security guarantees, saying North Korea had already demonstrated that it could pursue development alongside maintaining nuclear capabilities.

He said global conditions, marked by what he described as violations of sovereignty through force, underscored the necessity of nuclear weapons as the ultimate guarantee of state survival.

Analysts in South Korea said the remarks appeared to indirectly reference recent U.S. military actions against Iran, reinforcing Pyongyang’s longstanding position that nuclear deterrence is essential to prevent external intervention.

Kim said South Korea had been designated the “most hostile state” and warned that any infringement on North Korea’s sovereignty would be met without hesitation.The comments signal a continued shift in Pyongyang’s policy away from reconciliation, effectively redefining inter-Korean relations as those between two adversarial states rather than potential partners for reunification.

Officials at South Korea’s Blue House described the remarks as detrimental to peaceful coexistence, calling for dialogue and cooperation to ensure stability on the Korean peninsula.

Economic plan and defence spendingAlongside security policy, Kim outlined a new five-year economic plan focused on industrial modernisation, increased energy production, agricultural output and housing expansion.

The assembly also approved a 2026 state budget allocating 15.8% of total expenditure to defence, with explicit funding for nuclear and military capabilities, according to KCNA.

A message from Vladimir Putin was delivered during the session, pledging deeper strategic ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.

The assembly convened its first session a day earlier, where delegates are expected to deliberate amendments to the socialist constitution and formalise leadership positions, including the chairmanship of the State Affairs Commission. The body, widely regarded as a rubber-stamp legislature, typically meets after major party congresses to translate ruling party decisions into state law.

The session will also review the country’s economic five-year plan announced at the ninth Workers’ Party Congress held in February, according to KCNA.

Attention has centred on whether Pyongyang will amend its constitution to codify Kim Jong Un’s “two hostile states” doctrine toward South Korea. In recent years, the North Korean leadership has shifted away from its longstanding policy of peaceful reunification, formally redefining the South as an adversarial state.

Such a move would mark a significant institutional shift, embedding the current security posture into the country’s legal framework.

Kim Yo Jong, the leader’s sister and a key political figure, was absent from KCNA’s list of members of the State Affairs Commission, where she had served since 2021. South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it was examining the development.

Analysts said her omission did not necessarily indicate a reduction in influence. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University, said the move could reflect a strategic redistribution of roles, with Kim Yo Jong continuing to exercise authority within the ruling Workers’ Party in a policy coordination capacity.The developments come as North Korea continues to consolidate internal governance structures while signalling a hardened stance on inter-Korean relations.

Seoul (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided recent exercises by nuclear tactical operation units in response to large-scale navy drills by South Korean and U.S. forces, which have escalated regional tensions, KCNA state news agency said on Monday.