SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to expand his nuclear arsenal when he released a list of high-tech weapons systems under development, saying the fate of the relations with the United States depends on whether it abandons its hostility. politics, state media reported Saturday.
Kim’s comments during a key ruling party meeting this week were seen as pressure on the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden, who has called Kim a “thug” and criticized his summits with President Donald Trump. .
The Central News Agency of Korea quoted Kim as saying that “the key to establishing new relations between (North Korea) and the United States is whether the United States withdraws its hostile policy.”
“This predicts that North Korean-US relations will not be smooth in the next four years with Biden in charge,” said Nam Sung-wook, a North Korean expert at the University of Korea in South Korea. and added that Kim’s concessions were unlikely. .
Kim said he will not use his nuclear arsenal unless “hostile forces” intend to use their nuclear weapons against North Korea first. He also suggested that he is open to dialogue if Washington is also open, but stressed that North Korea must further strengthen its military and nuclear capability to cope with the intensification of American hostility.
Kim did not cite any specific US action. North Korea has previously called for regular U.S. military exercises with South Korea, U.S. surveillance aircraft flights, and the U.S. military presence in South Korea as evidence of hostility. In particular, the North views the US-South Korea exercises as an invasion attempt, although the Allies have repeatedly denied it.
Kim listed state-of-the-art weapon systems that he said were under development. They include a multi-warhead missile, nuclear missiles launched underwater, long-range solid-fuel missiles, and spy satellites. He said North Korea should also advance in its ability to attack precision against targets in the 15,000-kilometer (9,320-mile) range, an apparent reference in the continental United States, and develop technology to make warheads. smaller, lighter nuclear weapons to mount long-range missiles more easily.
“Nothing would be more foolish and dangerous than not strengthening our strength tirelessly and having a simple attitude at a time when we see clearly that the most modern weapons of the enemy are increasing more than ever,” Kim said. “The reality is that we can achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula when we constantly build our national defense and suppress U.S. military threats.”
It is unclear whether North Korea is capable of developing such systems. It is one of the most cloistered countries in the world and estimates of the exact status of its nuclear and missile programs vary widely. In 2018, the South Korean government said it was estimated that North Korea had up to 60 nuclear weapons.
“What they mean in the U.S. is that we are developing new strategic weapons that you may see as the most intimidating. Do you want to come to the negotiating table?” Said Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Political Studies in Seoul. “While Kim leaves the door open for conversations, she still sends a message to Biden that she is not an easy (dialogue) partner.”
The ruling party congress met for the first time in five years. KCNA said Kim spoke for nine hours during the party project review from Tuesday to Thursday.
Congress is the top decision-making body of the Labor Party and is being held as Kim faces what appears to be the hardest moment of her nine-year rule due to the triple blow to her already fragile economy: border closures related to the pandemic. which have drastically reduced the North’s foreign trade, a wave of natural disasters last summer, and U.S.-led sanctions.
During her inaugural speech, Kim described the difficulties as “the worst in history” and “unprecedented.” He also admitted that his previous economic plans had failed and promised to adopt a new five-year development plan.
Since taking power in late 2011, Kim, who turned 37 on Friday, has pushed the so-called “byungjin” policy of simultaneously seeking economic growth and expanding its nuclear deterrent.
After a torrid gun test in 2016-17, Kim claimed to have acquired the ability to attack the Americas with nuclear missiles. Arms tests called for new rounds of crippling U.S.-led sanctions, including a ban on key export items such as coal, seafood and textiles, and a significant reduction in oil imports.
In 2018, Kim abruptly entered into nuclear disarmament talks with Trump, seeking the lifting of sanctions without completely giving up his nuclear program. But his diplomacy was broken during the second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in early 2019, when Trump rejected Kim’s request to extend sanctions in exchange for dismantling its main nuclear complex, which it would be a limited denuclearization step.
Since then, Kim has openly promised to build its nuclear capability.
Biden, who will take office on January 20, is unlikely to hold direct meetings with Kim unless the North Korean leader takes significant denuclearization measures.