Kim says North Korea doubled weapons-grade nuclear material capacity

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced Thursday that the country's capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material has more than doubled over the past five years, declaring that recent technological advances justify an exponential expansion of the state's nuclear forces.

Visit to new facility

Kim made the remarks during a visit to a newly inaugurated nuclear materials production facility on Wednesday, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He cited the prolonged confrontation with the country's "most ferocious enemies" and worsening existing and potential threats as creating unpredictable long-term crises that underscore the urgency of strengthening the nuclear deterrent.

Exponential expansion

The North Korean leader stated that the development of sophisticated nuclear technology creates a "mature environment" for the next stage of bolstering the nation's nuclear capabilities. "We have confirmed the order of priority for implementing the ambitious future plan designed to beef up our state's nuclear forces at an exponential rate," Kim said, describing the progress as an "amazing, successful" change that goes beyond rhetorical description.

Regional tensions

The announcement follows months of escalatory military activity on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang conducting multiple weapons tests in recent weeks. Kim's inspection of the new facility occurred on Wednesday, with KCNA releasing his statements on Thursday.