U.S. on guard vs. Kim Jong-un’s aggressive tilt

The White House on Tuesday said it’s watching North Korea “very, very closely” as dictator Kim Jong-un cozies up to Russia, axes talk of reconciliation with South Korea and seems to prepare for military action.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said he couldn’t divulge intelligence assessments but noted the U.S., which has a large military presence in South Korea, remains prepared for any developments.

“We remain confident that the defensive posture that we’re maintaining on the peninsula is appropriate to the risk,” Mr. Kirby said.

State media recently reported that Mr. Kim is dismantling government entities tasked with reunification or cooperation with South Korea.

The Korean War that divided the peninsula ended in an armistice in 1953, so the countries are technically still at war.

Mr. Kim said he won’t shirk from armed confrontation. He has ramped up military testing, even firing artillery shells near a sea boundary with South Korea.

Also, North Korea has provided military equipment to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine. Over the weekend, north Korean state media announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to meet with Mr. Kim soon.

Mr. Kirby said the deepening ties are worrisome.

“We’re watching this very, very closely, as we are [focusing on] North Korea’s own pursuit of advanced military capabilities,” Mr. Kirby said. “And what concerns us is not just President Putin’s ability to benefit from this relationship, but Kim Jong Un’s ability to benefit from this relationship and what that means for peace and security in the region.”