Kim Jong Un slams U.S. hostility, ramps up nuclear ambitions
Kim Jong Un stated that previous negotiations with the USA confirmed Washington's "unchanging" hostility toward Pyongyang. He argued that nuclear development is the only way to counter external threats.
Kim Jong Un spoke during a presentation of North Korean weapons, which included intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to target continental parts of the USA.
The North Korean leader has not yet commented on Donald Trump's re-election as president of the USA. Media recall that during Trump’s previous term, he held three meetings with Kim Jong Un. However, relations later deteriorated due to sanctions imposed on Pyongyang by the Trump administration.
During the speech, Kim commented on these "failed" summits but did not mention Trump by name.
- We have already gone as far as possible with the United States with negotiations, and what we ended up confirming was not a superpower’s will for coexistence, but a thorough position based on force and an unchangeable invasive and hostile policy - said Kim Jong Un.
Kim accuses the USA
He accused the United States of increasing military pressure on North Korea by strengthening military cooperation with regional allies and increasing the deployment of "strategic strike means."
He called for accelerating efforts to develop his army's nuclear weapon capabilities, saying that the only guarantee of the country's security is building the "strongest defense power that can overwhelm the enemy."
Kim's nuclear and missile development program includes various kinds of weapons targeting South Korea and Japan, as well as long-range missiles capable of reaching the continental USA. Analysts believe that Kim's drive for nuclear development aims to ultimately pressure Washington into accepting North Korea as a nuclear power, which would allow Pyongyang a different position in negotiations on issues, including economic matters.
Kim looks toward Russia
In recent months, Kim's foreign policy priority has been Russia. Pyongyang is trying to bolster its international standing by adopting the idea of a "new cold war."
North Korea also supports Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. Several thousand North Korean soldiers are operating in Russia's Kursk region.
