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Kim warns North Korea would ‘pre-emptively’ use nuclear weapons

SMH, By Kim Tong-Hyung, April 30, 2022 Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned that his country could pre-emptively use its nuclear weapons if threatened, as he praised his top military officials over the staging of a massive military parade in the capital, Pyongyang.

Kim expressed “firm will” to continue developing his nuclear-armed military so that it could “pre-emptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves, including ever-escalating nuclear threats from hostile forces, if necessary,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on Saturday.

The Korean Central News Agency said Kim called his military officials to praise their work on Monday’s parade, where North Korea showcased the biggest weapons in its military’s nuclear program, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach the US homeland and a variety of shorter-range solid-fuel missiles that pose a growing threat to South Korea and Japan.

The Korean Central News Agency didn’t say when the meeting took place.

The parade marking the 90th anniversary of North Korea’s army came as Kim revives nuclear brinkmanship aimed at forcing the United States to accept the idea of his country as a nuclear power and remove crippling economic sanctions.

Speaking to thousands of troops and spectators mobilised for the event, Kim vowed to develop his nuclear forces at the “fastest possible speed” and threatened to use them if provoked. He said his nukes would “never be confined to the single mission of war deterrent” in situations where North Korea faces external threats to its unspecified “fundamental interests.”

Kim’s comments suggested he would continue a provocative run in weapons testing to dial up the pressure on Washington and Seoul. South Korea will inaugurate a new conservative government in May that could take a harder line on Pyongyang following the derailed engagement policies of current liberal President Moon Jae-in……………………….

Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since 2019 because of disagreements over a potential easing of US-led sanctions in exchange for North Korean disarmament steps……………….https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/kim-warns-north-korea-would-pre-emptively-use-nuclear-weapons-20220430-p5ahfe.html

May 2, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, weapons and war