DST News: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the United States and North Korea could “get along” if Washington accepts Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state, while reaffirming plans to expand the country’s nuclear arsenal and operational reach. He made the remarks during the five-yearly congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, in what analysts see as a calculated message to Washington.

Kim said future relations with the United States depend entirely on US policy, adding that Pyongyang is prepared for either peaceful coexistence or prolonged confrontation. His comments were interpreted as leaving room for renewed dialogue with Donald Trump, particularly ahead of Trump’s upcoming Asia engagements, even as North Korea continues to defy international sanctions through missile tests and nuclear development.

At the same time, Kim shut the door on any diplomatic thaw with South Korea, describing Seoul as the North’s “most hostile entity” and declaring that it would no longer be considered a compatriot state. He also emphasized that denuclearisation is no longer on the table, asserting that North Korea has irrevocably become a nuclear power and expects the international community to accept that reality.

Source: BBC