The Slatest

North Korea Says It Won’t Use Nuclear Weapons Unless Sovereignty Is Threatened

This photo taken Saturday and released Sunday by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency shows the second-day of the Seventh Workers Party Congress in Pyongyang.  

KCNA/AFP/Getty Images

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un said his country would only use nuclear weapons to defend itself during a highly anticipated speech in which he also outlined a five-year plan to boost the country’s economy. “Our republic is a responsible nuclear state that, as we made clear before, will not use nuclear weapons first unless aggressive hostile forces use nuclear weapons to invade on our sovereignty,” Kim said in an approximately three-hour speech that was broadcast on Sunday.

Kim gave his speech on Saturday, which marked the second day of the Seventh Congress of his Workers’ Party, the first gathering of its kind in 36 years. “Our party and government will struggle to root out the danger of nuclear war being imposed on us by the United States, based on our strong nuclear deterrent and defend peace in the region and in the world,” Kim said. He also expressed Pyongyang’s willingness to improve relations with countries that had been hostile to it as long as they respect North Korea’s sovereignty.

One analyst tells the Washington Post that Kim’s economic plan amounts to a “big deal” because it means he is taking responsibility for the country’s development. “The announcement of a five-year economic plan slightly proves the hypothesis that Kim Jong Un is ruling like his grandfather—he even appropriated a Kim Il Sung policy direction here—with more formal lines of control and authority like a five-year economic plan,” Michael Madden said.

This photo taken on Friday and released on Saturday by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the Seventh Workers Party Congress in Pyongyang.

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