Kim Jong-un continues to remark hard on ‘nuclear preemptive strike’, why?

◀ anchor ▶

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said at a recent military parade that he could use nuclear weapons at any time if national interests were violated.

After the military parade, he even raised the possibility of preemptive use of ‘nuclear force’ at a meeting to encourage military leaders.

Reporter Hong Eui-pyo covered the background of Chairman Kim Jong-un’s daily hardline remarks.

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Chairman Kim Jong-un of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army showed off his military power during a parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army.

On the front page of today’s Rodong Sinmun, there was a commemorative photo taken by Chairman Kim with the North Korean military leaders who conducted the parade.

On either side of Chairman Kim are Party Secretary Park Jeong-cheon and Defense Minister Ri Yong-gil.

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Chairman Kim also mentioned the possibility of a preemptive nuclear attack at this meeting to encourage military leaders.

[조선중앙TV / 오늘]

“In order to preemptively and thoroughly suppress and crush all dangerous attempts and threatening actions, including nuclear threats, if necessary…”

Earlier, Chairman Kim hinted that the threshold for using nuclear weapons could be lowered with the vague expression of ‘fundamental interest’.

[김정은 북한 국무위원장 / 지난 25일]

“If any force prays for a military confrontation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, they will be destroyed.”

[임을출 / 경남대 극동문제연구소 교수]

“(North Korea) is setting the prerequisites for a more comprehensive nuclear preemptive strike.

North Korea, which has been insisting on nuclear armament for the purpose of ‘war deterrence’ externally, mentions the possibility of active use of nuclear weapons.

[박원곤 / 이화여대 북한학과 교수]

“Because Russia is talking about the possibility of using nuclear weapons, the existing rules and norms, including the ‘preemptive strike’, which were previously taboo on the use of nuclear weapons, are shaking a lot…”

As North Korea restores the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and increases the likelihood of a nuclear test, the U.S. State Department urges North Korea to “restrain from further destabilizing actions and choose to engage in serious and ongoing dialogue.”

This is Eui-pyo Hong from MBC News.

Video Editing: Lee Sang-min

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