NK vows to strengthen nukes, but war ‘unlikely’

By Li Cong Source:Global Times Published: 2013-3-31 23:50:00

 

Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 25, 2013 shows Kim Jong Un (C), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), inspecting People's Army Unit 1501. (Xinhua/KCNA) 
Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 25, 2013 shows Kim Jong Un (C), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), inspecting People's Army Unit 1501. (Xinhua/KCNA) 


 North Korea on Sunday vowed to strengthen its nuclear forces and carry out economic construction, one day after the country announced it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea.

Analysts played down the possibility of a full-scale war on the Korean Peninsula, noting that stabilizing his political position will still be the priority for the country's young leader.

During a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong-un said that North Korea's nuclear armed forces "represent the nation's life, which can never be abandoned as long as the imperialists and nuclear threats exist on Earth," the KCNA news agency reported.

Kim said the possession of nukes should be "fixed by law and the nuclear armed forces should be expanded and beefed up qualitatively and quantitatively until the denuclearization of the world is realized."

Cai Jian, a deputy director of the Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University, said North Korea's drive to develop nuclear power is part of Kim's strategy to establish his domestic prestige.

"Kim Jong-un has a strong sense of insecurity as he doesn't have firm control over the nation. Meanwhile, North Korea is isolated and sanctioned by the international community, so his priority is still to consolidate his power," Cai told the Global Times Sunday.

Kim also said the country would develop a "self-reliant nuclear power industry" and "light water reactor" to ease the strain on electricity supply.

Since 30-year-old Kim became the leader of the nuclear state, the international community has had high expectations that the overseas-educated leader would put emphasis on the improvement of people's livelihoods. However, the successive rocket launch and nuclear test have just further pushed the country to the brink.

"[North Korea] shows certain signs of reform, but that doesn't mean it has already walked a new path," said Cui Zhiying, director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at Shanghai-based Tongji University, adding that being contained by a variety of factors, Kim is not expected to make major changes to the nation's "old path."

In response to Pyongyang's increasingly bellicose rhetoric, White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Friday also urged North Korea to "put the interest of their people first ... to focus on their ability to have access to food and medicine."

On Saturday, North Korea said that all matters between the two Koreas will be handled according to wartime conditions, and "the long-standing condition of the Korean peninsula of being neither peace nor war is finally over."

It also warned that any military provocation near the land or sea border of the two sides would result in "a full-scale conflict and a nuclear war."

Both Seoul and Washington expressed preparedness in dealing with possible provocations.

Cui ruled out the possibility of inter-Korean war on the peninsula, saying the tit-for-tat strategy was a result of international isolation and pressure from recent military drills held by the US and South Korea.

"Domestically, a harsh stance toward the international community also helps Kim enhance the country's unity," Cui noted.

North Korea has also threatened to shut down the Kaesong industrial park, which houses around 120 South Korean companies with some 50,000 North Korean workers. The South Korean government said it will not change the policy of keeping the complex open.

"As usual, North Korea is trying to escalate tensions on the peninsula, trying to exert more pressure to get diplomatic talks with the US and get more aid from the international community," Cai said, describing such threats as psychological tactics.

Ni Wei and agencies contributed to this story

 



Posted in: Asia-Pacific

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