Kehinde Adegoke | THE CHOSUNILBO
North Korea’s leader pledged to accelerate nuclear weapons development and deployment, declaring that peaceful ties with Washington are possible only if Pyongyang’s nuclear status is formally recognised and U.S. “hostile policies” are abandoned.
He stressed that the future of North Korea–U.S. relations hinges entirely on America’s attitude.
Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un said at the 9th Workers’ Party Congress, held on the 20th to 21st of last month, “The country’s nuclear forces are the fundamental guarantee and a powerful safeguard that reliably ensure the nation’s security, interests, and right to development.”
The statement indicated intentions to further produce nuclear warheads and continue developing weapons to deliver them. Regarding Kim Jong-un’s remarks, the Korean Central News Agency stated, “Great importance was placed on rapidly and continuously updating naval operational capabilities, centring on the nuclear armament of surface and underwater naval forces.”
Regarding tasks for the new five-year plan period, Kim Jong-un said, “They will include enhanced land- and submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems, various artificial intelligence-based unmanned attack systems, special assets to attack enemy satellites in times of crisis, highly powerful electronic warfare weapon systems to paralyse enemy command centres, and further advanced reconnaissance satellites.”
Kim Jong-un named 600 mm and new 240 mm multiple rocket launchers and operational-tactical missile systems as the main strike weapons against the South. He plans to increase their deployment each year to strengthen attacks and reinforce deterrence.
Kim Jong-un stated, “Our party’s unwavering will is to further expand and strengthen the country’s nuclear forces and thoroughly exercise our status as a nuclear-armed state,” adding, “We will firmly maintain the toughest stance as an unchanging policy toward the U.S.”
However, he specified that if the United States both respects North Korea’s nuclear-armed status, as stipulated in the Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, then North Korea could engage positively with the United States.
Kim Jong-un warned that if the US maintains its current stance, North Korea will respond proportionally. He said North Korea is prepared for either peaceful coexistence or confrontation, depending on US decisions to make.”
