I just came across a pretty interesting geopolitical topic. Kim Jong-un has recently made some quite radical remarks, this time targeting Israel. He called Israel a "Washington-backed terrorist project," and this rhetoric immediately sparked discussions on the international stage.

You have to understand North Korea’s way of expression. This isn’t anything new; it’s a continuation of their anti-Western narrative that’s been consistent for decades. In his National Day speech, Kim emphasized that Israel is essentially a puppet of U.S. imperialism, and all its actions in the Middle East—especially the conflicts with Palestine—are manipulated behind the scenes by Washington. North Korea has always positioned itself as a champion of anti-imperialism, so these accusations are just part of their routine rhetoric.

Interestingly, the international response has been quite divided. U.S. State Department officials directly called these remarks "unconstructive," and advised North Korea to stop issuing threats and return to the denuclearization negotiations. Israel has mostly not responded officially; analysts believe they are used to this kind of rhetoric. But in some parts of the Middle East and the Global South, voices supporting Palestine amplified Kim Jong-un’s comments on social media, creating a strange resonance in public opinion.

I think the underlying logic behind this is worth pondering. North Korea is actually doing three things: first, showing its "tough stance" on the international stage to its own people; second, trying to find ideological resonance points in the Global South; third, shifting attention away from internal issues—economic hardships, international sanctions, and so on.

Honestly, Kim Jong-un’s remarks won’t change the big picture. Israel’s position and U.S. Middle East policy won’t be shaken by a speech. But it does reflect a long-term North Korean strategy: using provocative rhetoric to maintain relevance on the international stage. Some people on social media mockingly said, "It’s pretty ironic that someone with nuclear weapons and concentration camps calls others terrorists." But others see Kim’s comments as a challenge to U.S. hegemony.

Looking ahead, such declarations are likely to continue. North Korea needs this kind of approach to prove its presence and also to test international reactions. As tensions in the Middle East persist and U.S. influence remains strong, Pyongyang will keep speaking out this way. It’s a common tactic in the geopolitical game—creating noise with rhetoric to remind everyone of your existence.