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North's nuke, missile programs pose 'significant' threats to South, Japan: U.S. report

Published: 19 Mar. 2026, 09:09

An undated photo released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 5 shows North Korea's first 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer, the Choe Hyon, sailing in waters near the western coastal city of Nampho, North Korea. [EPA/YONHAP]

North Korea remains committed to expanding its nuclear, ballistic missile and other strategic weapons programs, posing "significant" threats to South Korea, the United States and Japan, a U.S. threat assessment report showed Wednesday.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released the "Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community," pointing out a series of North Korean threat elements among other security challenges, including Pyongyang's "sophisticated" and "agile" cyber program.

"North Korea remains committed to expanding its strategic weapons programs, including missiles and nuclear warheads, and to solidifying its deterrent capability," the report said

"North Korea's WMD, conventional military capabilities, illicit cyber activities, and demonstrated willingness to use asymmetric capabilities to attack South Korea and the U.S. pose significant threats to the U.S. and its allies, particularly South Korea and Japan," it added. WMD stands for weapons of mass destruction.

The report said that the benefits that North Korea received from Russia in return for its support in the war against Ukraine have increased the North's military capabilities. But it noted that the North is likely to remain "deterred" by the United States and its allied forces.

"North Korean military forces have gained valuable combat experience in 21st century warfare along with equipment," it said. "North Korea's ability to institutionalize lessons learned and consolidate gains from Russia will determine how valuable it will be."

Moreover, it said that North Korea's increased post-pandemic trade, income from munition exports to Russia and illicit cyber activities, including cryptocurrency thefts, have boosted Pyongyang's foreign currency revenue generation to "its highest levels" since before extensive sanctions on the North were imposed in 2018.

"North Korea's partnership with Russia is growing, and in 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took steps to improve ties to China — still North Korea's most important trading partner and economic benefactor — after the relationship had cooled because of Beijing's earlier opposition to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests," it said.

On the cyber security domain, the report underscored that the North's cyber program — combined with its use of information technology (IT) workers with falsified credentials to gain employment with unwitting companies — is "sophisticated and agile."

"[The North] is focused on evading financial sanctions, stealing funds to support its military, and conducting cyber espionage to fill gaps in the regime's weapons programs," it said.

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Jan. 27. [AP/YONHAP]

Pyongyang's cyber forces are capable of achieving a variety of strategic objectives against diverse targets, including in the United States and South Korea, while its growing use of human insider access to circumvent cyber security measures threatens targets with stronger defensive measures.

It went on to say that cryptocurrency heists and other financial crimes also continue to net at least $1 billion each year to fund the North's weapons programs.

On the homeland defense front, the report said that North Korea, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan have been developing an array of "novel, advanced or traditional" missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that can strike the U.S. homeland.

"North Korea has successfully tested ICBMs capable of reaching the entire homeland," it said, referring to intercontinental ballistic missiles.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also acknowledged North Korea's threat during a Senate briefing in Washington on Wednesday, calling the country "the biggest nuclear threat" to the United States alongside Russia, China and Pakistan.

“The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems, with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our homeland within range,” Gabbard said.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN, YONHAP [[email protected]]