North Korea: Pressure provoked by the US raises the possibility of nuclear war

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has accused the US of raising tensions and provocations, claiming that the Korean Peninsula is now at risk of nuclear war, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Speaking at a military show in Pyongyang on Monday, Jong-un claimed his prior negotiations with Washington had only exposed the US’s “aggressive and hostile” stance against Pyongyang, according to the KCNA.

“Never before have the warring parties on the Korean Peninsula faced such a dangerous and critical dispute, which could escalate into the most devastating thermonuclear war.”

“We have done everything we can in negotiations with the United States, but the results show that the big powers do not wish to live together.

“On the contrary, they remain firmly committed to using force and aggressive and hostile policies against us that will never change,” according to him.

Between 2018 and 2019, the two nations conducted three special talks in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Korean border under US President Donald Trump’s first term.

However, diplomatic discussions between North Korea and the United States have failed, as Washington continues to urge Pyongyang to halt its nuclear weapons development while Kim Jong-un seeks an end to economic sanctions.

Trump has frequently touted his strong connection with Kim Jong-un, and last month he said that if it had not been for the friendship, the two nations could have fought a nuclear war, killing millions.

However, North Korea’s official media has yet to openly announce Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

During his speech at the Defense Development Exhibition, Jong-un urged the nation to advance its weapons technology to the highest level possible.

He also ordered that the military commit to significantly strengthening its defensive capabilities in order to improve North Korea’s strategic position, according to the KCNA.

The presentation also included strategic and tactical weaponry, demonstrating Pyongyang’s commitment to continually improving its military capability.

Jong-un’s new address comes in the midst of international criticism over Pyongyang and Moscow’s growing military collaboration.

North Korea has allegedly dispatched around 10,000 troops to Russia to bolster its conflict in Ukraine, with many more expected.

The government has also criticized the US and its allies for what it claims are rising tensions to the “worst in history.”.

Jong-un referred to the Korean Peninsula as the “world’s biggest hot spot” last week, reflecting the region’s rising military tensions.

– REUTERS