North Korea says it will exercise its position as a nuclear state — report

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that exercising the country’s position as a nuclear state is the only way to cope with an unpredictable and increasingly complicated global security environment, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.

Kim said that “unimaginable, astonishing incidents and events” are taking place due to what he described as the “gangster-like greed” of hegemonic forces, which he blamed for intensifying global conflicts, including the wars in Europe and the Middle East. He specifically accused the United States of worsening bloodshed in these regions.

The remarks were made during a Central Committee meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, held from Saturday to Monday, KCNA reported.

Kim also accused the United States and South Korea of heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula by continuously strengthening their combined nuclear posture, which he said is aimed at targeting North Korea.

“To steadily expand and strengthen the nuclear forces and to thoroughly exercise the position of a nuclear weapons state is the most correct and unique way to actively and confidently cope with the unpredictable international military and political situation,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

However, the report did not provide details on any specific measures regarding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

Kim also reportedly called for the expansion of conventional military capabilities and the accelerated construction of a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser, according to KCNA.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Kim’s remarks highlight Pyongyang’s continued rejection of denuclearisation and its push for recognition as a nuclear weapons state.

He said North Korea is signaling that denuclearisation talks are effectively off the table and that any future negotiations would only take place on the basis of nuclear status, potentially focusing on arms reduction rather than dismantlement.

Such an approach would likely require sanctions relief and would differ significantly from phased denuclearisation proposals previously discussed in diplomatic channels.

Yang also noted that references to the U.S.-South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group and Seoul’s plans for nuclear-powered submarines are being used by Pyongyang to justify its continued nuclear buildup.

North Korea has long defied multiple United Nations and U.S. sanctions imposed between 2006 and 2017 that prohibit the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology. Its continued weapons program has raised concerns across the region.

Despite years of diplomatic efforts involving the United States, China, and South Korea, North Korea has declared itself a nuclear state and maintained that it will not abandon its nuclear arsenal.

The party meeting also emphasized efforts to modernize the coal industry and redevelop mining communities, which Kim described as a strategic priority.

Yang noted that coal remains North Korea’s primary energy source, and the planned upgrades aim to address the country’s ongoing energy shortages.

— Reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Ed Davies/Reuters