North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to implement the “toughest” policy against the United States. These remarks come less than a month before Donald Trump is set to take office as President of the United States again.
Trump’s return to the White House increases the chances of high-level diplomacy with North Korea. During his first presidential term, Trump held three meetings with Kim to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program.
However, many experts have said that a quick restart of talks between Trump and Kim is unlikely, as Trump will initially focus on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine also poses a challenge to efforts to revive diplomacy, experts have stated.
During a five-day meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, Kim described the United States as “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its unchanging state policy.” He also stated that the security partnership between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan was expanding into a “nuclear military bloc for aggression.”
“This reality clearly shows in which direction we must go, what we must do, and how we must act,” Kim said, according to North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA.
The agency reported that Kim clarified his “toughest anti-American strategy,” stating that North Korea’s response will begin “aggressively” to protect its long-term national interests and security.
The report did not provide specific details about this strategy against the U.S. However, it stated that Kim has decided to strengthen the country’s military capabilities through advancements in defense technology and has called for the mental resilience of North Korean soldiers to be improved.
Previous meetings between Trump and Kim not only ended harsh rhetoric and threats of destruction but also led to the development of personal ties between the two leaders. However, talks collapsed in 2019, and the U.S. imposed sanctions on North Korea.
Since then, North Korea has accelerated its weapon testing pace and intensified its missile production to target the U.S. and its allies. In response, the U.S. and South Korea have expanded their joint military exercises, which now also include Japan. North Korea views these drills as preparations for invasion. /REL
