North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to speed up efforts to turn North Korea into a military superpower with nuclear capabilities, according to a report from the North’s state news agency on Tuesday.
Kim emphasized that North Korea would not hesitate to use its nuclear weapons if attacked by enemies. He stated, “To be honest, we have no intention of attacking South Korea,” during a speech at Kim Jong Un National Defense University, an elite military training institution.
“If the enemy tries to use force against our country,” Kim warned, the North Korean military would respond with “all forms of retaliation without hesitation,” which includes the potential use of nuclear weapons.
Kim further declared that North Korea’s steps to become a military superpower and a nuclear power would accelerate.
The leader also called for significantly enhancing the nation’s defense capabilities, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
North Korea has long sought to develop its nuclear weapons program and is believed to have enough fissile material to build dozens of nuclear weapons. The country has conducted six underground nuclear tests.
Last week, South Korea celebrated its Armed Forces Day with a major military parade, showcasing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a massive warhead. An American strategic bomber also flew over South Korean skies during the event.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned the North against using nuclear weapons during the event, stating that “such a day would mark the end of the North Korean regime.”
Kim also sent a birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing him as his “closest comrade,” and highlighted that their countries’ “strategic and cooperative relations” would reach new heights to “defend regional and global peace and international justice.”
