North Korea’s Kim Jong-un vows to build ‘invincible’ military and blames US for tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviewed a rare exhibition of weapons systems and vowed to build an “invincible” military, as he accused the United States of being the “root cause” of instability. In an apparent continued effort to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul, Kim also said his drive to build up his military isn’t targeted at South Korea and that there shouldn’t be another war pitting Korean people against each other.

Kim gave the speech Monday at the “Defense Development Exhibition Self-Defense-2021”, an event meant to mark the previous day’s 76th birthday of the ruling Workers’ party. South Korean media reported it was the first such event held by North Korea. Calling the United States a “source” of instability on the Korean peninsula, Kim said his country’s most important objective was possessing an “invincible military capability” that no one can dare challenge. The Biden administration has repeatedly stated it has no hostile intent towards the North, but Kim told the exhibition: “I am very curious if there are people or countries who believe that.”

“There is no basis in their actions for believing that it is not hostile,” he added, according to state media.

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