North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country will accelerate efforts to strengthen its defences and expand its military capabilities amid persistent tensions with neighbouring South Korea.
He made the remarks after presiding over a three-day summit of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which concluded on Monday.
Kim was quoted as saying, “The US and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are pushing forward with the ROK’s possession of nuclear submarines while becoming ever more undisguised in their moves towards the reinforcement and modernisation of armed forces in the region.”
“Consistent hostile moves were pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war,” he said. Kim added that it was the “steadfast stand” of North Korea to further expand and strengthen its “powerful and absolutely reliable deterrent for self-defence”.
He reportedly stated that “North Korea’s development of a war deterrent with nuclear technology as a basis would proceed at increasing speed."
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts and requests for bilateral talks from South Korea, the North Korean leadership has ruled out engaging in any negotiations that would compromise its nuclear programme.
Kim’s sister, Yo Jong, said this month that the North’s nuclear policy was a “line of no retreat”, reiterating the regime’s firm position that it has no intention of giving up its nuclear arsenal.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said last week that US President Donald Trump had told him it was time to pay attention to North Korea’s nuclear programme.
Also read: China and North Korea agree to strengthen bilateral ties
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