US, South Korea threaten peace on Korean peninsula with military buildup: Kim Jong Un

On Tuesday, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un stated that his country's weapons development is imperative in the face of hostile US policies and a military buildup in South Korea, both of which are destabilising the peninsula. Speaking at the Defence Development Exhibition, Kim said that Pyongyang is beefing up its military for self-defence, not to initiate a war, reported Al Jazeera, citing Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The US has repeatedly claimed that it is not hostile to our country, but there has been no behavioural evidence to support this claim, he added. 

"First and foremost we need to be strong and powerful for the sake of our descendants. The military threats that our country is facing are not the same as they were 10, 5, or 3 years ago," Kim said, adding that turmoil on the Korean peninsula will not be easily resolved, as reported by KCNA. The top Korean leader made these remarks while standing in front of a range of weapons, including a Hwasong-16 intercontinental ballistic missile. The Hwasong-16 is North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missile, which was revealed at a military parade in October 2020 but is yet to be tested, reported Al Jazeera.

It should be mentioned here that both Koreas have been testing increasingly advanced short-range ballistic missiles and other weaponry in an escalating arms competition. South Korea recently tested its first submarine-launched ballistic missile, has plans to develop huge new armaments, including aircraft carriers, and also purchased F-35 stealth fighters built in the United States. According to analysts, North Korea has continued to advance its missile programme and also initiated a massive expansion of its primary nuclear reactor, which produces nuclear weapons fuel, reported Al Jazeera. 

Kim refers to the US as “source” of instability on the Korean Peninsula

While the US has remarked that it is open to undertake diplomatic talks with North Korea at any moment, Pyongyang stated that it is not interesting as long as Washington continues policies in South Korea such as sanctions and military activities. With its erroneous judgements and actions, the United States continues to exacerbate tensions in the region, said Kim referring to the US as a “source” of instability on the Korean Peninsula. It is worth mentioning here that North Korea has long sought improved relations with the US to obtain sanctions relief and a more secure environment to restore its stagnant economy. The high-stakes negotiations between the two countries collapsed in early 2019 after the US rejected North Korea's demands for broad sanctions relief in exchange for partial disarmament efforts.

Image: AP