North Korean leader says US causing ‘conflicting structure,’ vows to bolster nuclear forces
Seoul, Feb 9 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has accused the US of standing behind the world’s disputes, reaffirming the country’s policy to further develop its nuclear forces, the North’s state media reported on Sunday.
Kim made the remarks during his visit to the Ministry of National Defence the previous day in celebration of the 77th anniversary of the founding of its armed forces, the Korean People’s Army, Yonhap reported quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Delivering a speech to military and political commanding officers of the ministry, Kim referred to a series of new plans for bolstering “all deterrence” and reaffirmed the country’s “unshakable policy of more highly developing the nuclear forces,” KCNA said, without providing details of the plans.
The leader claimed that US nuclear strategic assets deployed on the Korean Peninsula, the US-led nuclear war simulation exercises and the US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation are “inviting military imbalance” on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia, causing “a new conflicting structure” and posing a grave challenge to North Korea.
North Korea “does not want unnecessary tension” in the region, Kim said, adding that, however, it will take “sustained countermeasures to ensure the regional military balance” to prevent the outbreak of a new war and ensure peace and security on the peninsula.
He also accused the US of “standing unfailingly behind the world’s big and small disputes and tragedies of bloodshed,” stating that this proves the regime’s line of seeking “an unlimited defence capability” is “most just.”
Kim also blamed the US for the Russia-Ukraine war, expressing “serious concern” that the US and Western countries are prolonging the war with the “unrealisable dream to deal strategic setbacks to Russia,” the KCNA said.
North Korea’s army and people “will invariably support and encourage the just cause of the Russian army and people to defend their sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” Kim said, referring to the mutual defence treaty he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
In a separate commentary, the KCNA also slammed joint South Korea-US military drills that have taken place this year, accusing them of heightening tensions.
“Hostile and risky actions will only lead to undesired results” the KCNA said, without elaborating on what it meant by undesired results.
North Korea has long denounced the allies’ joint military drills as a rehearsal for an invasion. South Korea and the US have said their military exercises are defensive in nature.
–IANS
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