North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country was moving to steadily increase its nuclear arsenal, state media reported Tuesday, claiming that Pyongyang was a “responsible” nuclear state.

Kim made a speech for an event to mark the 76th anniversary of the country’s founding, with state media images showing thousands of people gathering in central Pyongyang to celebrate.

Due to what Kim characterised as “more various threats” from the United States and its allies, North Korea’s “nuclear force” and its ability to deploy it “should be more thoroughly perfected”, he said.

North Korea “will steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states”, Kim said.

The country will also “redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat”, he added.