黑料社

SEOUL 鈥� North Korea will speed up development of its nuclear arsenal, leader Kim Jong Un said while overseeing a huge military parade that displayed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and other weapons, state media reported on Tuesday.

The parade occurred Monday night during celebrations for the founding anniversary of North Korea鈥檚 armed forces, state news agency KCNA said. It comes as Pyongyang has stepped up weapons tests and displays of military power amid stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States and an incoming conservative administration in South Korea.

U.S. and South Korean officials say there are signs of new construction at North Korea鈥檚 only known nuclear test site, which has been officially shuttered since 2018, suggesting Pyongyang may be preparing to resume testing nuclear weapons.

鈥淭he nuclear forces of our Republic should be fully prepared to fulfil their responsible mission and put their unique deterrent in motion at any time,鈥� Kim told the gathering, according to KCNA.

The fundamental mission of the North鈥檚 nuclear force is to deter war, but its use 鈥渃an never be confined to the single mission,鈥� he added.

鈥淚f any forces try to violate the fundamental interests of our state, our nuclear forces will have to decisively accomplish its unexpected second mission,鈥� Kim said.

Hong Min, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said Kim鈥檚 speech could signal a change in his nuclear doctrine to leave open the possibility of 鈥渘uclear first use,鈥� after previously confining their purpose to deterrence and defence.

鈥淭hough he did not specify what makes the 鈥榮econd mission鈥� or 鈥榝undamental interests鈥�, he indicated more broadly that the nuclear force might be used preemptively, not only when they鈥檙e under attack, but also under certain circumstances,鈥� Hong said.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Kim鈥檚 remarks could have been aimed at the incoming government of South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who has warned of possible preemptive strikes if an attack from the North were imminent.

The transition team of Yoon, who takes office on May 10, criticized Pyongyang for building menacing weapons while appearing to pursue talks.

鈥淭he parade proved that North Korea has outwardly called for peace and dialogue over the last five years but in reality it focused on developing the means to threaten not only the Korean peninsula but Northeast Asia and world peace,鈥� deputy spokesman Won Il-hee told a briefing.

鈥淪ecuring the capability to deter North Korea鈥檚 grave and real threat is the most urgent task,鈥� Won added, vowing to bolster the U.S. alliance and expedite weapons development to beef up Seoul鈥檚 deterrence.

The parade featured North Korea鈥檚 largest known ICBM, the Hwasong-17, KCNA reported. The massive missile was test fired for the first time last month, but officials in South Korea believe efforts to conduct a full test ended in an explosion over Pyongyang.

North Korea鈥檚 Rodong Sinmun newspaper released photos showing the Hwasong-17, as well as what appeared to be hypersonic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), among other weapons on trucks and launching vehicles rolling by crowds of flag-waving observers and participants.

The procession also included rows of conventional weapons such as artillery, rocket launchers, and prototype tanks, plus tens of thousands of goose-stepping troops shouting 鈥渓ong life鈥� to Kim Jong Un.

North Korea鈥檚 ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions, which have imposed sanctions on the country.

In the latest weapons test on April 16, Kim oversaw the launch of what state media said were short-range missiles that could deliver tactical nuclear weapons.

On a visit to Seoul last week, U.S. envoy on North Korea Sung Kim said the allies would 鈥渞espond responsibly and decisively to provocative behavior,鈥� while underlining his willingness to engage with North Korea 鈥渁nywhere without any conditions鈥�.

North Korea has said it is open to diplomacy, but has rejected Washington鈥檚 overtures as insincere in view of what Pyongyang sees as 鈥渉ostile policies鈥� such as sanctions and military drills with the South.

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