Kim Jong Un emphasizes ‘frontal breakthrough’

“There is no ground for us to get unilaterally bound to the commitment any longer,” said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un regarding the suspension of nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches. He implied the possibility to resume nuclear tests and ICBM provocations, from which the country has refrained for the last two years for the denuclearization talks with the U.S. “The world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by North Korea in the near future," he added.

Military and non-military experts are anticipating ICBM launches carrying multiple warheads or using solid fuel. Kim’s unsettling statement that can be interpreted as the termination of North Korea’s nuclear moratorium is causing instability across the Korean Peninsula from the beginning of the new year.

“North Korea will shift to a shocking actual action to make it pay for the pains sustained by our people so far and for the development so far restrained,” said Kim at the fifth plenary meeting of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party that lasted from Saturday until Tuesday. “We will never allow the impudent U.S. to abuse the DPRK-U.S. dialogue for meeting its sordid aim,” he also added according to the Rodong Sinmun.

“We should strive for a frontal breakthrough to nullify the enemies’ scheme to lock the sanctions in place.” The phrase “frontal breakthrough” was mentioned 23 times in his speech. As the “new path” mentioned by Kim has become more specific with the new phrase, the tensions between the U.S. and North Korea will be prolonged as the North focuses on reviving the country on its own and reinforcing its military power.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said to reporters, “He did sign an agreement talking about denuclearization. I think he's a man of his word,” with regards to the North Korea leader’s statement at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday (local time).


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