The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, stated that the new law would render the country’s nuclear position “irreversible” and prohibit denuclearization.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has sworn he will never give up the nuclear weapons he claims his country needs to confront US hostility.
The administration of Kim has now established a law that enshrines the authority to conduct preemptive nuclear attacks to defend the country.
This comes after the North Korean leader accused the United States of pursuing a policy designed to weaken the North’s defenses and “collapse” his country.
State media said on Friday that Kim declared the new law would make North Korea’s nuclear status “irreversible” and prohibit any denuclearisation discussions.
Observers believe that North Korea is prepared to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017 after historic summits with former US President Donald Trump and other world leaders in 2018 failed to convince Kim to quit his weapons development.
The law was passed by the North’s parliament, the Supreme People’s Assembly, on Thursday, according to the state news agency KCNA.
KCNA stated that an assembly member said the law would strengthen North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state and assure the “transparency, consistency, and uniformity” of its nuclear program.
In his address to the parliament, Kim stated, “The highest importance of establishing nuclear weapons policy is to create an irreversible line so that our nuclear weapons cannot be negotiated.”
In its constitution, North Korea has already declared itself a nuclear weapons state, but the new law specifies when nuclear weapons can be employed, including to retaliate against an attack or repel an invasion.
It also permits preemptive nuclear attacks if an imminent attack with weapons of mass destruction or against “strategic targets” is discovered.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has offered to speak with Kim at any time and in any location, while South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has stated that his country would provide substantial economic aid if Pyongyang began to give up its arsenal.
However, North Korea has rejected these overtures, claiming that the United States and its allies’ “hostile measures” such as sanctions and military exercises contradict its signals of peace.
“As long as nuclear weapons exist on earth, as long as imperialism continues, and as long as the United States and its allies continue to maneuver against our republic, we will continue to strengthen our nuclear force,” Kim declared.
