Kim Jong Un’s Two Faces: Military Hype vs. Disaster Silence—What He Said (and Didn’t Say)

An interesting point is found when comparing Rodong Sinmun‘s two articles on August 5th regarding the handover ceremony of a new tactical ballistic missile system on the front page. One article covers the grand celebration of the handover ceremony, detailing the overall situation, while the other focuses on Kim Jong Un’s speech during the ceremony.

The two articles’ main difference lies in their disaster recovery efforts coverage. The first article includes extensive comments from Kim Jong Un, which adds considerable length to the report.

“Comrade Kim Jong Un stressed that economic development, national defense enhancement, bettering people’s lives, and disaster recovery are all crucial tasks for the state that cannot be overlooked. He highlighted that proceeding with the new weapon system’s handover ceremony amidst nationwide efforts to recover from flood damage demonstrates a commitment to unwavering principles. This action reflects our party’s resolve to enhance national defense capabilities—the cornerstone of protecting our people and sovereignty—under any circumstances.”

However, the article about Kim’s speech does not include the above content. This indicates that he did not make that statement during his speech. So, when did he make that remark? It is suggested that he made that remark while inspecting the new tactical ballistic missile launchers because his comment is addressed in the report after introducing his inspection before the ceremony. Therefore, only a few key officials and the reporters accompanying him might have heard those comments. The other participants in the event did not hear that content.

In some ways, this statement should have been made to all participants. Given the unprecedented natural disaster (flood damage) that damaged the nation significantly, it was essential to address the reason for holding a military event. Kim did not mention the flood damage or recovery efforts in the speech. He only made the following remarks:

“Accumulating and continuously advancing our nuclear deterrent is the best way to effectively counter America’s nuclear threats and multifaceted oppression while redirecting more investment toward economic development and improving the people’s lives. This principle has been consistently upheld since we proposed a new dual-track strategy over ten years ago, and its legitimacy and vitality have been confirmed through practice.”

Kim presented the enhancement of nuclear deterrence (nuclear capability) as the best method for increasing investments in economic development and improving people’s lives. However, why is he deliberately ignoring the reality that the astronomical costs associated with strengthening nuclear capabilities significantly impact the industrial economy and the living economy of people?

He revealed that North Korea produced 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers in less than a year, demonstrating significant progress towards the strategic goals set during the 8th Party Congress 2021. These goals include the development of hypersonic weapons, the production of super-large warheads, enhancing strike accuracy to cover distances up to 9,320 miles, the development of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for both underwater and ground launches, and acquiring nuclear submarines and underwater strategic nuclear weapons. According to the South Korean military, these launchers are primarily intended for short-range ballistic missiles with an approximate range of 150 kilometers (93 miles).

Kim stated that the 250 launchers will be delivered to the first-line units along the border, indicating that this is merely the first step in achieving missile capability.

He declared that this would lead to the continued deployment of advanced military weapons, characterizing it as follows:

“We have gained operational initiative with overwhelming offensive capabilities and striking power against the enemy across the entire front, enabling us to diversify our firepower mission space and enhance the effectiveness of tactical nuclear capabilities from a practical standpoint.”

Kim clearly referred to offensive capabilities and operational initiatives, which imply a readiness for preemptive strikes. While he uses defensive language to strengthen his self-defense capabilities and enhance deterrence, he also unabashedly reveals his aggressive ambitions.

“The strategic and structural shifts in the military security environment around the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea stem from the transformation of U.S.-led alliances into nuclear-based military blocs. This underscores that our nation cannot be content with the current level of war deterrence.”

Kim strongly claimed the forward deposition of advanced military equipment and to establish a national nuclear deterrent system, mentioning South Korea (a country allied with the United States) has reached a dangerous point of sharing nuclear weapons with the U.S. Furthermore, he ordered that the deployment should not be limited to practical use alone, but also that thorough training and complete preparedness should be ensured.

“Units being deployed the new weapon systems must quickly become proficient with the new equipment and actively organize and conduct practical training to operate it efficiently for maximum combat effectiveness. They must fulfill their military mission of deterring war and securing dominance by maintaining a swift and accurate operational posture.”

From the above information, it is clear that North Korea has already developed a military operational plan for launching preemptive strikes and conducting surprise attacks. At the ceremony, Kim solely focused on the war preparations compared to his previously determined will to ensure no lives were lost in the face of enormous natural disasters.