North Korean leader Kim Jong Un today threatened a nuclear attack in the event of a “provocation” with “nuclear weapons” after South Korea and the United States met in Washington this week to discuss nuclear deterrence.
Kim congratulated the military that carried out the launch of a ballistic missile this week, noting: “It was a demonstration of the loyalty and firm stance of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in defending the country's sovereignty and a demonstration of the offensive response (…) “We will not even hesitate to launch a nuclear attack if the enemy uses nuclear weapons to provoke.”
In this sense, he believes that “the actions” of “opposition and counterattack” against the United States were “carried out successfully” and that they managed to “carry out the launch exercise of the most powerful ICBM, which greatly shocked the United States.” “imperialist public opinion. Americans and their top-notch puppets (…) who have been committing self-destructive acts all year long.”
Likewise, Kim stated that “the defense of the country's dignity, sovereignty and interests can only be guaranteed with security by strong power.” “So the authentic ability to defend lasting peace is to preemptively attack the enemy everywhere,” which causes “every enemy to feel fear.”
On Monday, North Korean authorities launched a Hwaseong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range of over 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers), allowing it to reach any point in the United States.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the fifth launch of a missile of this type this year, joining reactions from Japan, South Korea and the United States that condemned the North Koreans' actions.
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