Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has declared that his country will maintain and further strengthen its status as a nuclear power in response to what he described as an increasingly complex and unpredictable global security environment. North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA, reported on Tuesday, 23 June, that Kim made the remarks during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party. He accused the United States of fuelling conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, saying that competition among major powers has intensified global tensions and instability. The North Korean leader also accused the United States and South Korea of making the security situation on the Korean Peninsula more dangerous through the expansion of their joint nuclear cooperation. Kim Jong Un stressed that developing nuclear capabilities and strengthening North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state represent the most effective means of responding to global military and political developments. He also ordered the further development of conventional weapons and called for accelerating the construction of a strategic vessel equipped with guided missiles. Analysts say the remarks indicate that Pyongyang continues to reject nuclear disarmament and is seeking to consolidate its position as a nuclear power within the international system.
