metro.pageData = {"newsfeed_slug":"world","title":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility' | Metro News","headline":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility'","shortHeadline":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility'","socialHeadline":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility'","topCategory":"news","subCategory":"news\/world","siteId":"www.metro.co.uk","type":"article","author":"Jordan King","creator":"Jordan King","postAge":8868,"siteUrl":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk","cdnUrl":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/metro-parent","requestUrl":"\/2021\/01\/10\/north-korea-threatens-more-nuclear-weapons-to-cope-with-us-hostility-13880426\/","ogUrl":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2021\/01\/10\/north-korea-threatens-more-nuclear-weapons-to-cope-with-us-hostility-13880426\/","excerpt":"Kim Jong Un called the US his country's 'main enemy'. 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{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","name":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility'","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/PRI_178694368.jpg?quality=90&strip=all","width":1024,"height":538},"url":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2021\/01\/10\/north-korea-threatens-more-nuclear-weapons-to-cope-with-us-hostility-13880426\/","datePublished":"2021-01-10T22:14:52+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-10T22:15:04+0000","headline":"North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US 'hostility'","articleBody":"Kim Jong Un wants to strengthen North Korea’s military (Picture: AP)\n\n\n\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has threatened to expand his nuclear arsenal and said North Korea\u2019s relationship with the US depends on whether it abandons its \u2018hostile policy\u2019. \n\n\n\nMr Kim revealed a list of high-tech weapons systems that are currently under development which he wants to help strengthen the country\u2019s military which he feels North Korea needs to cope with intensifying US hostility. \n\n\n\nHis comments to the ruling party were seen as applying pressure on the incoming administration of Joe Biden, who has called Mr Kim a \u2018thug\u2019 and has criticised his summits with Donald Trump.\n\n\n\nThe Korean Central News Agency reported that Mr Kim told the meeting that the \u2018key to establishing new relations between (North Korea) and the United States is whether the United States withdraws its hostile policy\u2019. \n\n\n\nHe said the US was North Korea\u2019s \u2018main enemy\u2019 and said \u2018whoever takes office in the US, its basic nature and hostile policy will never change\u2019.\n\n\n\nThe leader claims the country is developing weaponry including a multi-warhead missile, underwater-launched nuclear missiles, solid-fuelled long-range missiles and spy satellites.\n\n\n\nHe is open to negotiating with Washington but insists North Korea must have a stronger military and bigger nuclear capability, although he said he would not use nuclear weapons unless threatened first. \n\n\n\nMr Kim revealed a list of high-tech weapons being developed in North Korea (Picture: AP)\n\n\n\nMr Kim told the ruling party the US was the country’s ‘main enemy’. (Picture: Reuters)\n\n\n\nPart of his plan to bolster his country\u2019s armed forces is to make sure Pyongyang, the capital, advances its precision attack capability on targets in 9,320-mile range, the distance from the city to US mainland. \n\n\n\nLikewise he wants to develop technology to manufacture smaller nuclear warheads to be mounted on long-range missiles more easily.\n\n\n\n\u2018The reality is that we can achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula when we constantly build up our national defence and suppress US military threats,\u2019 Mr Kim said. \n\n\n\nMr Kim seems to trying to put pressure on the upcoming Biden administration (Picture: PA)\n\n\n\nMr Biden, who will take office on January 20, is unlikely to hold direct meetings with Mr Kim unless the North Korean leader takes significant denuclearisation steps.\n\n\n\nMr Kim did not cite any specific provocative US actions but has previously called regular US military drills with South Korea an invasion rehearsal, though the allies have repeatedly denied that.\n\n\n\nIt is unclear whether North Korea will be able to develop the systems Mr Kim wants. \n\n\n\nIt is unclear if North Korea is capable of developing such systems given that information about the country is so unavailable to the outside world. \n\n\n\nIn 2018, the South Korean government said North Korea was estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons.\n\n\n\nGet in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. \n\n\n\nFor more stories like this, check our news page.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jordan King","url":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/author\/jordan-k\/"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2021\/01\/10\/north-korea-threatens-more-nuclear-weapons-to-cope-with-us-hostility-13880426\/"},"mentions":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Donald Trump","sameAs":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/donald-trump\/"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Joe Biden","sameAs":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/joe-biden\/"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Kim Jong Un","sameAs":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/kim-jong-un\/"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"North Korea","sameAs":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/north-korea\/"}],"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","xpath":["\/html\/head\/title","\/html\/head\/meta[@name='description']\/@content"]},"publisher":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"Metro.co.uk","url":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/metrouk","https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/metrouk","https:\/\/uk.pinterest.com\/metrouk","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/metro.co.uk"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/metro-parent\/img\/branding\/metro.co.uk\/m-black-share.png"}}}
North Korea threatens more nuclear weapons to cope with US ‘hostility’
He is open to negotiating with Washington but insists North Korea must have a stronger military and bigger nuclear capability, although he said he would not use nuclear weapons unless threatened first.
In 2018, the South Korean government said North Korea was estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons.
He is open to negotiating with Washington but insists North Korea must have a stronger military and bigger nuclear capability, although he said he would not use nuclear weapons unless threatened first.
In 2018, the South Korean government said North Korea was estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons.