December 29th 2024.
In an address reported by state media on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his intention to implement a "toughest" anti-U.S. policy. This comes just weeks before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the new U.S. president, raising the possibility of high-level diplomacy between the two nations. Trump and Kim had previously met three times during Trump's first term to discuss North Korea's nuclear program, but experts believe that any immediate resumption of talks is unlikely as Trump focuses on other global conflicts.
During a recent five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, which concluded on Friday, Kim criticized the U.S. as "the most reactionary state," accusing them of viewing anti-communism as a core policy. He also spoke out against the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership, calling it a "nuclear military bloc for aggression." According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim's speech outlined a strategy for "toughest anti-U.S. counteraction" to protect North Korea's national interests and security in the long term.
Although the details of this strategy were not disclosed by the news agency, they did mention that Kim emphasized the need to strengthen North Korea's military capabilities and improve the mental resilience of its soldiers. This tough stance towards the U.S. marks a departure from the personal connections that were formed between Trump and Kim during their previous meetings. Trump even famously claimed that he and Kim had "fallen in love." However, their talks ultimately fell apart in 2019 as they could not come to an agreement on U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea.
Since then, North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing activities, developing more reliable nuclear missiles that could potentially target the U.S. and its allies. In response, the U.S. and South Korea have increased their military drills, provoking strong reactions from North Korea, who sees these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion. Adding to the complexity of the situation is North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia.
According to assessments from the U.S., Ukraine, and South Korea, North Korea has sent over 10,000 troops and conventional weapons to support Russia's war against Ukraine. This has raised concerns that Russia may provide North Korea with advanced weapons technology, including assistance in building more powerful nuclear missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in the fighting in Russia's Kursk region, the first official estimate of North Korean casualties since their deployment to Russia in October.
In addition to their involvement in the conflict with Ukraine, Russia and China have consistently opposed U.S.-led efforts to impose more sanctions on North Korea despite its repeated missile tests in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Last month, Kim stated that his previous negotiations with the U.S. only confirmed their unchanging hostility towards North Korea and that their nuclear buildup was necessary to defend against external threats.
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