North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to solidify his country’s status as a nuclear power during a speech to Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament, state media reported Tuesday. He called South Korea the “most hostile” state and warned of severe consequences for any provocations from Seoul. According to HuffPost, Kim accused the United States of global “state terrorism and aggression,” in an apparent reference to recent conflicts in the Middle East.
Key Takeaways
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to solidify his country’s status as a nuclear power during a parliamentary speech, calling South Korea the 'most hostile' state. He accused the U.S. of global aggression and emphasized North Korea's role in opposing Washington. The Supreme People's Assembly passed constitutional revisions but did not detail changes.
- Kim Jong Un vowed to irreversibly cement North Korea’s nuclear status
- Called South Korea the 'most hostile' state, warning of severe consequences for provocations
- Accused the U.S. of global aggression and terrorism in an apparent reference to Middle East conflicts
- Supreme People's Assembly passed constitutional revisions without specifying changes
The Supreme People’s Assembly, which concluded its two-day session Monday, passed a revised constitution but did not specify the changes. Analysts had expected the revisions to codify South Korea as a permanent enemy and remove references to shared nationhood, aligning with Kim's hard-line stance after he declared in 2024 that North Korea would abandon its long-term goal of peaceful unification with the South.
In his speech, Kim expressed pride in North Korea’s rapid expansion of nuclear weapons and missiles, calling it the “right” choice to counter future threats. He stated that the dignity and national interest of North Korea can only be guaranteed by the strongest power. According to NPR, Kim also suggested the possibility of future talks with Washington but emphasized that whether adversaries choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is up to them.
TimesLIVE reported that Kim rejected the idea of exchanging nuclear disarmament for economic benefits, asserting that maintaining nuclear forces while pursuing development was the correct strategic choice. He also outlined economic priorities, calling on officials to fully implement a new five-year development plan focused on modernizing industry and boosting electricity production.
The parliamentary session adopted amendments to the constitution and passed legislation endorsing the new five-year economic plan. Lawmakers also approved a 2026 state budget that raises defense spending to 15.8% of total expenditure, with funding explicitly allocated to expanding nuclear deterrence and war-fighting capabilities.
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