North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said that the country will maintain and strengthen its position as a nuclear power in response to what he described as a complex and unpredictable global security environment.
North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday, June 23, that Kim made the remarks during a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee.
He accused the United States of escalating conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and said that competition among major powers has increased global tensions.
Kim also said that the United States and South Korea have worsened security conditions on the Korean Peninsula by expanding joint nuclear cooperation.
The North Korean leader stressed that expanding nuclear capabilities and reinforcing the country’s status as a nuclear-armed state is the best way to respond to global military and political developments.
He also ordered further development of conventional weapons and the acceleration of building a strategic naval vessel equipped with guided missiles.
Analysts say the remarks indicate that Pyongyang continues to reject denuclearization and is seeking to solidify its position as a nuclear power.
