North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un on Friday called the United States his country’s “worst enemy” and continued to expand North Korea’s arsenal according to the text of his remarks at the Workers Party Congress meeting published by state media Pushed for.
Why it matters: Kim’s remarks come days before President-Elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
- “… Biden promises ‘royal diplomacy’ with North Korea, implying a break with President Donald Trump’s high-summit meeting with Kim Jong-un,” NPR writes.
- Kim said he did not intend to use nuclear weapons until “hostile forces” planned to attack his country, according to Al Jazeera. He noted that North Korea should expand its nuclear arsenal and improve long-range missile capabilities, and called its country “responsible nuclear weapons owner.”
big picture: Kim cited the only way to reach peaceful relations between the US and North Korea if the US withdrew its North Korea hostile policy.
what is he saying: “Kim said that our foreign political activities should be focused and directed at defeating and overthrowing the United States, our biggest enemy and the main obstacle to our revolutionary development.
- “Never mind who is in power in America, America’s true nature and its fundamental policies towards North Korea never change,” he continued.
- “The reality is that we need to tirelessly strengthen our national defense capabilities to prevent military threats from the US and to achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.”
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