North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to increase his nuclear forces at “maximum speeds” and threatened to use them.

He made a speech to troops during a military parade with a long-range missile, and other weapons.

His comments, made in front of a large crowd at Pyongyang plaza suggest that he will continue to conduct provocative weapon tests to try and pressure the US and other competitors.

This parade was held to commemorate the 90th anniversary North Korea’s army, which is the backbone of authoritarian Kim family rule. It comes at a time when the country faces pandemic-related problems and seeks relief from US-led sanctions that were imposed on it for its nuclear ambitions.

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Kim stated that “the fundamental mission of our nukes is to prevent war.” However, if an unfavorable situation arises on our soil, our nukes cannot be relegated to the single mission of preventing war.

“If any forces try to infringe on our fundamental interests, no matter who they may be, our nuclear forces will have to execute its unexpected second mission.”

According to the Korean Central News Agency, the parade included marching troops as well as modern weapons, including a missile that could reach the US, as well as tanks and artillery pieces, as many as five rocket launchers.

No will to give

Kim has been busy restoring nuclear brinkmanship to try to force the United States into accepting North Korea as a nuclear power and remove crippling economic sanctions.

Since 2019, nuclear negotiations between Washington, Washington, and Pyongyang have been stopped by disagreements about the possibility of easing US-led sanctions in return for North Korean disarmament.

Analysts believe North Korea is using a favorable environment to advance its weapons program, while the UN Security Council remains divided by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kim has remained true to his goal of developing nuclear weapons, and has not shown any willingness to surrender a nuclear arsenal that he considers his greatest guarantee of survival.

This year, North Korea conducted 13 rounds in weapons testing. It also flew its first intercontinental ballistic missile flight test since 2017.

There are signs that North Korea is building tunnels at a nuke testing ground, which was last active in 2017, possibly to prepare for the explosion of a nuclear weapon.

Monday editorials in North Korean official newspapers called for stronger public support for Kim.

The main Rodong Sinmun newspaper stated that the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was the symbol of the mightiness and great dignity of our party, state, and revolutionary armed forces.

Follow the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un for all happiness and a bright future.

Recent tests by North Korea have shown that they are capable of striking America, as well as South Korea or Japan.

Kim could also be trying to show bravado after failing to secure the necessary sanctions relief at his diplomatic meeting with the former US President Donald Trump and further damage to the country’s economy due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.