The comments reported Monday were Kim Jong Un's first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the nation to bolster its nuclear capabilities “without limitation,” emphasizing that this policy is now “irreversible.” He also said Pyongyang would focus all efforts on completing war preparations.

In a speech to military commanders, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described the Korean peninsula as "the world's biggest hotspot."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for bolstering the country's nuclear forces "without limitation" and completing war preparations, accusing South Korea, the United States and Japan of threatening regional peace through military cooperation.