North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed never to give up the nuclear weapons he says his country needs to counter hostile actions from the US.
Kim’s government has now passed a law providing for the right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes to defend its nation.
It comes as the leader accuses the US of pushing an agenda aimed at weakening North Korea’s defenses and ultimately “bringing down” his government.
Kim said the new law would make the country’s nuclear status “irreversible” and prevent any talks on denuclearization, state media reported on Friday.
Observers said North Korea appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017, after a historic summit with then-US President Donald Trump and other world leaders in 2018 failed to convince. persuade Kim to give up weapons development.
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North Korea’s parliament, the Supreme People’s Assembly, passed the law on Thursday, according to state news agency KCNA.
A vice minister at the conference said the law would strengthen North Korea’s position as a nuclear weapons state and ensure “transparency, consistency and standardization” in its nuclear policy. KCNA reported.
In his address to the parliament, Kim said: “The most important meaning of the law-making of nuclear weapons policy is to draw an irreversible line so that there can be no bargaining on nuclear weapons. our.”
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North Korea has declared itself a nuclear weapons state in its constitution, but the new law goes beyond that to specify when nuclear weapons can be used, including to respond to nuclear weapons. pay an attack or prevent an invasion.
It also allows for a pre-emptive nuclear strike if an imminent attack with weapons of mass destruction or against the country’s “strategic targets” is discovered.
Our President Joe BidenHis administration has offered to talk to Mr. Kim anytime, anywhere, and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has said his country will provide generous economic aid if Pyongyang starts. give up his arsenal.
However, North Korea has denied those claims, saying that the US and its allies maintain “hostile policies” such as sanctions and military exercises that undermine its message of peace.
“As long as nuclear weapons remain on the earth and imperialism remains and the activities of the United States and its followers against our republic are not ceased, our work to The strengthening of nuclear forces will not stop,” Kim said.
