'Kim just wants to survive, not expand': Rubio offers unexpected assessment of North Korea

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew a sharp distinction between North Korea and Iran, arguing that unlike Tehran, Pyongyang does not pursue expansionism — and that it is precisely Iran's expansionist ambitions that make a nuclear-armed Iran unacceptable.

Speaking at the National Lawyers Convention in Washington on Friday (local time), Rubio invoked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un while making the case against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. "He just wants to survive and maintain his regime," Rubio said of Kim.

"He's not interested in conquering Japan. I'm not trying to justify the horrible things that happen there, but he's not an expansionist," Rubio said. He added that Kim has no intention of invading Japan or China, then turned the contrast back to Iran: "But these people are expansionists and revolutionaries — and what happens if they also have nuclear weapons?"

Rubio said Iran has long claimed it has no interest in nuclear weapons, yet clearly wants them. He argued that if Iran needed only civilian nuclear energy, it would already have it — as countries like South Korea and Japan do. Notably, he made no separate mention of North Korea's military threat to South Korea or other regional allies.

Although the remarks arose in the context of arguing against a nuclear-armed Iran, they drew attention for revealing Rubio's view that North Korea does not seek expansion. Rubio also serves as White House national security adviser in the Donald Trump administration, making him the United States' most senior diplomat and security official.

As a senator, Rubio was a hawkish critic of North Korea's nuclear development and human rights abuses. He now appears to draw a clear line between Iran and North Korea, treating Tehran as the more urgent threat.

Donald Trump has cited preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as a justification for military action, yet has repeatedly dodged questions about whether denuclearization remains the ultimate goal of his North Korea diplomacy — fueling criticism that his administration is applying a double standard to the two countries.