North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a fierce condemnation of the recent US and Israeli missile and drone strikes on Iran, describing the assault as a “shameless rogue act of the US and Israel” and “an illegal act of aggression.” Pyongyang released this statement earlier this week.
Kim has typically shown restraint in criticizing US President Donald Trump, unlike his rhetoric against prior administrations. This sharper tone signals deep unease over Trump’s bold moves, including the targeted killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.
Experts Highlight Kim’s Mounting Concerns
Political analyst Lim Eul-chul, professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, points to Kim’s fury over Khamenei’s death. Iran had engaged in nuclear talks akin to the “unconditional dialogue” extended to North Korea.
“North Korea may focus on the fact that Iran was ultimately attacked despite pursuing nuclear negotiations and attempting to reach certain agreements,” Lim stated. “There is virtually zero chance that Pyongyang trusts the sincerity of Washington’s offer of ‘unconditional dialogue.’”
Intelligence Capabilities Spark Existential Fears
Lim emphasizes Kim’s alarm at the sophisticated US intelligence behind the operations against Khamenei and Maduro. The precision of “Operation Epic Fury” in Iran underscores a direct threat.
“The years of precise intelligence accumulation that enabled the US to eliminate Iran’s supreme leader, along with the swift execution demonstrated in ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ represent more than a simple warning to Kim Jong-un—they amount to an existential threat,” he explained.
North Korea fully grasps that Washington’s surveillance and strike methods could target Pyongyang with equal or greater accuracy, Lim warns. Rather than prompting talks, these developments may drive Kim to deepen his regime’s isolation.
