A prominent U.S. expert said Wednesday that President Donald Trump's recent reference to North Korea as a "nuclear power" appears to be a "realistic" view of North Korean threats following a look at how the security challenge has evolved.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a facility that produces nuclear material and called for bolstering the country’s nuclear capability, state media reported Wednesday, as the North looks to increase pressure on the United States following the inauguration of U.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for bolstering nuclear forces this year during a visit to a nuclear material production base and nuclear weapons institute, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.