North Korea’s Kim Likely to Tighten Reliance on Nuclear Deterrence After Venezuela Operation
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to further entrench his country’s reliance on nuclear weapons as a core security guarantee following a recent United States operation in Venezuela, an event that has resonated far beyond Latin America and into strategic thinking in East Asia. Analysts say the episode has reinforced Pyongyang’s long held belief that military power, particularly nuclear capability, is the ultimate safeguard against external intervention.
The US action in Venezuela, which resulted in the removal of the country’s leadership, was quickly condemned by North Korea. State media in Pyongyang described the operation as a violation of sovereignty and an example of how Washington uses force to achieve political goals. While the rhetoric aligned with North Korea’s traditional opposition to US actions abroad, observers note that the underlying concern was deeply personal to Kim and his inner circle.
For years, North Korea has pointed to the fate of leaders who lacked strong deterrence capabilities as justification for its nuclear programme. The Venezuela operation is now being interpreted in Pyongyang as fresh evidence that regimes without powerful military shields remain vulnerable to sudden intervention. From this perspective, nuclear weapons are not simply bargaining chips but essential tools for survival.
Recent military activity has added weight to this interpretation. In the days following heightened global attention on Venezuela, North Korea carried out a series of missile related activities and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening what it calls its strategic deterrent. Although such actions are often planned well in advance, their timing and messaging suggest a deliberate effort to underline resolve in the face of perceived threats.
China’s position is also central to the evolving picture. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly criticised US interventions overseas, framing them as destabilising and harmful to international order. Analysts argue that Beijing is likely to continue supporting Kim diplomatically and economically if it believes Washington and its allies are using such operations to weaken China’s influence in surrounding regions.
The relationship between China and North Korea remains complex, shaped by strategic interests rather than ideology alone. While Beijing is wary of instability on the Korean Peninsula, it also sees value in maintaining North Korea as a buffer state. Continued US pressure, combined with high profile interventions elsewhere, may push China to lean more openly toward Pyongyang, at least in opposing Washington’s broader global approach.
For the United States and its regional allies, this dynamic presents a challenge. Efforts to persuade North Korea to reduce or abandon its nuclear arsenal already face deep mistrust. Events like the Venezuela operation risk reinforcing Pyongyang’s conviction that disarmament would expose it to unacceptable risks.
As global tensions intersect across multiple regions, Kim appears increasingly determined to frame nuclear weapons as non negotiable. Rather than opening doors to diplomacy, the ripple effects of actions far from East Asia may be narrowing the space for compromise, making the Korean Peninsula an even more entrenched flashpoint in an unsettled international landscape.
