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North Korea
AsiaEast Asia

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wants more nukes, slams US as ‘biggest enemy’

  • Washington’s hostile policies would not change regardless of who occupies the White House, Kim told party congress in Pyongyang
  • North Korea is expanding its nuclear arsenal, including ‘pre-emptive’ and ‘retaliatory’ strike capabilities and warheads of varying sizes, he said

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Photo: Reuters
Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for more advanced nuclear weapons and said the United States is “our biggest enemy”, state media said on Saturday, presenting a stark challenge to President-elect Joe Biden just days before he takes office.
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Washington’s hostile policies would not change regardless of who occupies the White House but dropping those policies would be key to North Korea-US relations, Kim said, according to state news agency KCNA.

“Our foreign political activities should be focused and redirected on subduing the US, our biggest enemy and main obstacle to our innovated development,” Kim said during nine hours of remarks over several days at a rare party congress in Pyongyang. “No matter who is in power in the US, the true nature of the US and its fundamental policies towards North Korea never change.”

North Korea would not “misuse” its nuclear weapons, Kim said but the country is expanding its nuclear arsenal, including “pre-emptive” and “retaliatory” strike capabilities and warheads of varying sizes.

Kim called for developing equipment including hypersonic weapons, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), spy satellites, and drones.

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North Korea is preparing for the test and production of various new weapons, including a “multi-warhead rocket” and “supersonic gliding flight warheads for new type ballistic rockets,” while research on a nuclear submarine is nearly complete, he said.

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