By: The Trek News Desk
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has delivered a rare message directed at Washington, stating that North Korea is open to “getting along” with the United States, provided the U.S. acknowledges Pyongyang’s nuclear status and abandons what he described as a hostile policy.
Speaking at the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Kim made it clear that his country has no intention of rolling back its nuclear weapons programme. Instead, he emphasised plans to further strengthen and expand it. According to Kim, the future of U.S.-North Korea relations depends entirely on the approach taken by Washington.
During his address, Kim asserted that if the United States respects North Korea’s constitutional position as a nuclear state and withdraws antagonistic measures, there would be no obstacle to peaceful coexistence. At the same time, he warned that Pyongyang is equally prepared for “long-term confrontation” if necessary.
State media reports highlighted that under Kim’s leadership, North Korea has significantly enhanced its “war deterrence capabilities,” with nuclear forces forming the core of its defence strategy. He also indicated that efforts are underway to increase the number of nuclear warheads and expand their operational range.
Observers believe Kim’s remarks may signal a potential diplomatic opening ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s anticipated visit to China. The last high-level summit between Trump and Kim took place in 2019, and speculation has grown over the possibility of renewed dialogue.
Notably, a U.S. security document released last year did not explicitly mention North Korea’s denuclearisation, a departure from past policy language. This omission fuelled speculation that Washington might be recalibrating its stance. However, Kim has repeatedly insisted that denuclearisation is no longer on the table, declaring that North Korea now considers itself a full-fledged nuclear state.
While offering conditional engagement with the U.S., Kim adopted a far harsher tone toward South Korea. He labelled Seoul as the North’s “most hostile entity” and declared that it would no longer be regarded as part of a shared national community.
Kim further warned that South Korea’s only path to safety lies in distancing itself completely from North Korean affairs. Analysts suggest that Pyongyang may now prefer to pursue direct dealings with Washington rather than engaging through Seoul as an intermediary.
According to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), North Korea is believed to possess around 50 assembled nuclear warheads, along with sufficient fissile material to potentially produce dozens more. However, due to the country’s secrecy, the true scale of its military advancement remains difficult to verify.
Images from the closing ceremony of the party congress also showed Kim’s teenage daughter, Ju Ae, standing beside him during a military parade. South Korea’s intelligence agency recently informed lawmakers that Ju Ae is being groomed as a potential successor.
North Korea’s latest statements have once again placed regional and global security dynamics under scrutiny, with attention now turning to how Washington will respond to Pyongyang’s conditional offer of engagement.
Source: News Agencies
