The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) warned on the 18th (local time) in its "2026 Annual Threat Assessment" that North Korea possesses weapon capabilities that can strike the U.S. homeland and could pose a major threat to South Korea, the United States, and Japan. The DNI, which oversees and supervises 16 U.S. intelligence agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), publishes a report each year assessing major security threats.

Korean Central Television reports on the 16th that Kim Jong-un visits the Chonseong Youth Coal Mine at the Sunchon District Youth Coal Mine Union Enterprise on the 15th to take part in the election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly and delivers an important speech before voters. /Courtesy of Korean Central Television

In the report, the DNI said, "North Korea is committed to expanding its strategic weapons programs, including missiles and nuclear warheads, and to strengthening its deterrence," adding, "North Korea's weapons of mass destruction (WMD), conventional military power, illegal cyber activities, and willingness to use asymmetric capabilities targeting South Korea and the United States pose a significant threat to the United States and its allies, particularly South Korea and Japan."

The DNI specifically identified North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan as five countries researching and developing missile delivery systems capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads that can strike the United States. It added, "North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) can already reach the U.S. homeland, and North Korea has the will to continue expanding its nuclear arsenal."

The report also said North Korea dispatched more than 11,000 troops in 2024 to support combat operations in Russia's Kursk region, and during this period provided Russia with artillery shells, military equipment, and ballistic missiles. It went on, "The North Korean military has accumulated valuable combat experience in 21st-century warfare," adding, "The ability to institutionalize the lessons learned from participation and to consolidate the gains obtained in Russia will determine the real value of that experience."

Diplomatically, North Korea-Russia cooperation is strengthening, and China still plays the role of North Korea's "most important trading partner and economic patron," the report noted.

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