(Adnkronos) – North Korea “will continue to firmly consolidate its status as a nuclear-armed country”: just confirmed in his role as chairman of the State Affairs Commission, the supreme political leadership body of the North Korean state, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un addressed yesterday the members of the Supreme People’s Assembly who had re-elected him, to launch a programmatic message touching on a series of topics, from defense policy to nuclear weapons, economic goals and relations with South Korea and the United States.
“We will continue to firmly strengthen our status as a nuclear-armed country, an irreversible path, while intensifying our fight against hostile forces,” he said in a speech to Pyongyang’s parliament reported today by Kcna, the North Korean news agency. “In line with the mission entrusted to us by the Constitution of the Republic…, we will further expand and strengthen our self-defense nuclear deterrent,” he continued, defining the choice to consolidate the status of a nuclear-armed country as “fully justified.” The State, he assured, will ensure the maximum “readiness” of its nuclear forces with the aim of repelling “strategic threats.”
Kim did not spare attacks on his neighbor, South Korea, “officially designated as the most hostile state.” “We will designate South Korea as the most hostile state and deal with it comprehensively,” he stated. Pyongyang “will make them pay mercilessly, without the slightest consideration or hesitation, for any act that violates our Republic,” he added, addressing parliamentarians after the purely formal vote of the parliament, which exercises no real political power.
The North Korean regime leader then accused the United States of being responsible for acts of terrorism and invasions in many parts of the world, an apparent reference to the war with Iran, although he did not directly mention US President Donald Trump. “Dignity, interest, and the ultimate victory of a country can only be guaranteed by the most powerful force.” “Whether enemies choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is their choice, and we are ready to respond to any choice.”
