The North Korean dictator said he wanted to “develop our nation’s nuclear capabilities at an accelerated pace” during a military parade.
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Posted on 4/26/2022 6:40 AM Updated on 4/26/2022 8:02 AM
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, April 26, announced his intention to “bolster” his country’s nuclear build-up, according to official media. Speaking at a military parade in Pyongyang celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, he said he wanted “to develop our nation’s nuclear capabilities at an accelerated pace.”
For Kim Jong-un, nuclear weapons are “a symbol of national power” and need to be diversified. “Facing a turbulent political and military environment and the various crises ahead, we will continue to expand our power as soon as possible,” added the North Korean dictator, quoted by the KCNA news agency.
If this nuclear arsenal has a deterrent function first and foremost, it could be deployed if North Korea’s “fundamental interests” were threatened, Kim Jong-un promised. North Korea is under strict international sanctions for its nuclear and missile programs. Negotiations aimed at persuading the leader to give it up have stalled.