North Korea is gearing up to launch its most aggressive strategy to counter the United States; the move comes after a party meeting led by Kim Jong Un, which set the country’s direction for 2025 and outlined a plan to combat what Pyongyang sees as growing US aggression, particularly amid expanding military ties between the US, South Korea, and Japan.
Kim Jong Un criticised the US for its “anti-communist” policy and denounced the trilateral alliance as a “nuclear military bloc for aggression.” The meeting held from Dec 23 to 27 also witnessed significant leadership changes; Pak Thae Song became the news premier of North Korea, and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was appointed to the Politburo.
North Korea is strengthening its military alliance with Russia. The alliance has sparked widespread concern globally. The landmark defence pact signed in June has led to the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, resulting in significant casualties, with over 1,000 soldiers reportedly killed or injured.
The international community has denounced this development as a hazardous escalation of the Ukraine conflict. The defence agreement, which took effect this month, has been praised by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a groundbreaking achievement, marking a significant expansion of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
In a gesture of solidarity, Putin extended New Year’s greetings to Kim Jong Un on Friday, highlighting the strengthened bilateral relations forged during their June summit. This display of camaraderie underscores the increasingly close ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
