North Korea's Kim Jong Un doubles down on nuclear program

Key Points:

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that North Korea will permanently maintain its status as a nuclear-armed state and labeled South Korea as its "most hostile" enemy during a speech to the Supreme People's Assembly.
• Kim emphasized that national dignity and security rely on possessing the strongest power, rejecting any disarmament in exchange for security guarantees, a stance that counters longstanding US demands.
• The assembly approved a 2026 state budget increasing defense spending to 15.8% of total expenditure, reflecting Pyongyang's focus on military strength.
• Kim criticized the US and Israel's actions toward Iran as examples of global aggression, asserting that nuclear weapons are essential for regime survival and deterring foreign intervention.
• Experts anticipate constitutional revisions removing references to shared nationhood with South Korea and designating it as a permanent enemy, a move condemned by South Korea's Blue House as harmful to peace on the Korean Peninsula.