North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "almost certainly" has no intentions of negotiating away his nuclear program and aims to use his defense ties with Russia to achieve acceptance as a nuclear state, a US intelligence report said Monday.

The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment also noted that Kim will continue to pursue nuclear and conventional military capabilities that threaten the United States and its allies.

"Kim almost certainly has no intentions of negotiating away his nuclear program, which he perceives to be a guarantor of regime security and national pride," said the report, released by the office of the Director of National intelligence.

"Kim probably hopes that he can use his bourgeoning defense ties with Russia to pursue his goal of achieving international acceptance as a nuclear power," it added.

The report also pointed out that Pyongyang has "emerged from its deepest period of isolation," and is now pursuing stronger ties with China and Russia with the goal of increasing financial gains, diplomatic support and defense cooperation.

In response to the trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan, the North has sought to "demonstrate the danger posed by its military through missile launches and rhetoric threatening nuclear retaliation," according to the report.

"North Korea routinely times its missile launches and military demonstrations to counter US–South Korea exercises in part to attempt to coerce both countries to change their behavior and counteract South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's hard-line policies toward the North," it added.

Seoul, Washington and Tokyo have been stepping up security coordination to deal with North Korea's evolving threats and its deepening military cooperation with Russia.

On weapons of mass destruction, the report said Kim remains strongly committed to expanding the country's nuclear weapons arsenal, noting that Pyongyang has been prepared to resume nuclear tests at the Punggye-ri site since mid-2022.

"Kim will continue to prioritize efforts to build a more capable missile force -- from cruise missiles through intercontinental ballistic missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles -- designed to evade US and regional missile defenses and imports a variety of dual-use goods in violation of UN sanctions, primarily from China and Russia," the report said.

The annual intelligence report also warned that the North will continue to engage in illicit cyber activities to fund its illegal nuclear and missile development programs.

"North Korea will continue its ongoing cyber campaign, particularly cryptocurrency heists; seek a broad variety of approaches to launder and cash out stolen cryptocurrency; and maintain a program of IT workers serving abroad to earn additional funds," it said. (Yonhap)