North Korea Leader threatens ‘preemptive’ use of nuclear force for self-defense

The leader of North Korean, Kim Jong Un, on Saturday threatened preemptive use of nuclear weapon for self-defense.  State Media on Saturday reported that Jong Un reiterated his warning that Pyongyang could “preemptively” use its nuclear weaponry to counter hostile forces.

The official KCNA news agency disclosed that Kim Jong Un has directed top military officers  to “maintain the absolute superiority” of North Korea’s armed forces, insisting that the country should be able to “preemptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves… if necessary.”

Kim had insisted that Pyongyang should continue to build up its arsenal so that it can have the “overwhelming military muscle that no force in the world can provoke,” calling it the “lifeline guaranteeing the security of our country”.

Kim had at a military parade on Monday said that he could use his atomic arsenal if North Korea’s “fundamental interests” were threatened.

Kim at a meeting with top brass, praised their work on Monday’s parade, in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of North Korea’s armed forces, showcasing its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles.

North Korea has sustained test of its missiles since January this year. The country test-fired an ICBM at the full range in March for the first time since 2017, and satellite imagery has shown signs of activity at a nuclear testing site.