Kim Kim Jong Un vows to 'strengthen' North Korea's nuclear weapons at military parade
April 26, 2022, 8:08 am

Kim Kim Jong Un vows to 'strengthen' North Korea's nuclear weapons at military parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a plenary meeting of the Workers' Party central committee in Pyongyang, North Korea in this photo supplied by North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 8, 2021. (KCNA via Reuters)

The Asharq Al-Awsat reported, according to North Korean state media, leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen the country's nuclear weapons program during a speech at a high-profile military parade in Pyongyang.

According to a transcript published by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim said: "We will continue to take steps to strengthen and develop our nation's nuclear capabilities at the fastest pace."

AFP, according to KCNA, Kim gave the speech late Monday at a parade marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang.

Kim on Monday (Apr 25) said the country's nuclear weapons were "a symbol of national power" and that the country would "further strengthen and develop our nuclear force at the highest possible speed."

Pyongyang has carried out more than a dozen weapons tests this year, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile at full range for the first time since 2017.

US and South Korean officials and analysts have warned Pyongyang could soon resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 2017.

North Korea celebrates 10 years of Kim Jong Un as top leader of ruling Workers' Party of Korea

North Korea had paused long-range and nuclear tests while Kim met then-US president Donald Trump for a bout of doomed diplomacy, which collapsed in 2019. Talks have since stalled.

levantnews, aawsat

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.