North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warns of 鈥榩reemptive鈥� use of nuclear force

Kim Jong Un told top military officers to 鈥榤aintain the absolute superiority鈥� of North Korea鈥檚 armed forces. (KCNA/KNS via AP)
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  • Kim Jong Un: Pyongyang should continue to build up its arsenal
  • Last month Pyongyang test-fired an ICBM at full range for the first time since 2017

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has repeated his warning that Pyongyang could 鈥減reemptively鈥� use its nuclear weaponry to counter hostile forces, state media reported Saturday.
Kim told top military officers that to 鈥渕aintain the absolute superiority鈥� of North Korea鈥檚 armed forces, the country should be able to 鈥減reemptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves... if necessary,鈥� the official KCNA news agency reported.
Pyongyang should continue to build up its arsenal so that it can have the 鈥渙verwhelming military muscle that no force in the world can provoke,鈥� Kim said, calling it the 鈥渓ifeline guaranteeing the security of our country.鈥�
The leader鈥檚 comments followed similar remarks at a military parade on Monday, when he said he could use his atomic arsenal if North Korea鈥檚 鈥渇undamental interests鈥� were threatened.
Kim made his latest comments at a meeting with top brass to praise their work on Monday鈥檚 parade, which commemorated the 90th anniversary of the country鈥檚 armed forces and showcased its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Despite biting sanctions, North Korea has doubled down on Kim鈥檚 military modernization drive, test-firing a slew of banned weapons this year while ignoring US offers of talks.
Last month Pyongyang test-fired an ICBM at full range for the first time since 2017, and satellite imagery has shown signs of activity at a nuclear testing site.
The string of weapons tests comes as South Korea prepares for an incoming president, Yoon Suk-yeol, who takes a more hawkish approach to Pyongyang and has not ruled out a preemptive strike if necessary.
Analysts say Kim鈥檚 warning shows he is not open to dialogue with Seoul鈥檚 new government.
鈥淜im鈥檚 remarks demonstrate no interest in engaging with the incoming Yoon administration in South Korea or restarting denuclearization talks with the United States,鈥� said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha University in Seoul.