In this photo taken during a two-day session on Sept. 26-27, 2023 and provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks at a meeting of the country鈥檚 parliament in Pyongyang, North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: 鈥淜CNA鈥� which is the abbreviation for Korean Central 黑料社 Agency. (Korean Central 黑料社 Agency/Korea 黑料社 Service via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea 鈥� North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for an exponential increase in production of nuclear weapons and for his country to play a larger role in a coalition of nations confronting the United States in a 鈥渘ew Cold War,鈥� state media said Thursday.
The Korean Central 黑料社 Agency said Kim made the comments during a two-day session of the country鈥檚 rubber-stamp parliament which amended the constitution to include his policy of expanding the country鈥檚 nuclear weapons program.
The Supreme People鈥檚 Assembly鈥檚 session on Tuesday and Wednesday came after Kim traveled to Russia鈥檚 Far East this month to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and visit military and technology sites.
The trip sparked Western concerns about a possible arms alliance in which North Korea would supply Putin with badly needed munitions to fuel his war on Ukraine in exchange for economic aid and advanced Russian technologies to enhance North Korea鈥檚 nuclear and missile systems.
As North Korea slowly ends its pandemic lockdown, Kim has been actively boosting his partnerships with Moscow and Beijing as he attempts to break out of diplomatic isolation and join a united front against Washington. He has described the world as entering a 鈥渘ew Cold War鈥� and that North Korea should advance its nuclear capabilities in response.
KCNA鈥檚 reports on Kim鈥檚 comments came a day after North Korea c onfirmed the release of U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King, who is now being flown back to America, two months after he sprinted across the heavily fortified border into the North.
King鈥檚 relatively swift expulsion defied speculation that North Korea might drag out his detention to squeeze concessions from the United States, and possibly reflected the North鈥檚 disinterest in diplomacy with Washington.
KCNA said members of the assembly gave unanimous approval to a new clause in the constitution to 鈥渆nsure the country鈥檚 right to existence and development, deter war and protect regional and global peace by rapidly developing nuclear weapons to a higher level.鈥�
North Korea鈥檚 鈥渘uclear force-building policy has been made permanent as the basic law of the state, which no one is allowed to flout with anything,鈥� Kim said in a speech at the assembly. He stressed the need to 鈥減ush ahead with the work for exponentially boosting the production of nuclear weapons and diversifying the nuclear strike means,鈥� KCNA said.
Kim pointed to what he described as a growing threat posed by a hostile United States and its expanding military cooperation with South Korea and Japan, accusing them of creating the 鈥淎sian version of NATO, the root cause of war and aggression.鈥�
鈥淭his is just the worst actual threat, not threatening rhetoric or an imaginary entity,鈥� he said.
Kim urged his diplomats to 鈥渇urther promote solidarity with the nations standing against the U.S. and the West鈥檚 strategy for hegemony.鈥�
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest level in years as North Korea has test-fired more than 100 missiles since the start of 2022 and the U.S. has expanded its military exercises with its Asian allies, in tit-for-tat responses.
Last year, the assembly passed a new nuclear doctrine into law which authorizes pre-emptive nuclear strikes if North Korea鈥檚 leadership is perceived as under threat.
RELATED STORIES