He also criticized South Korea over its plan to revive large-scale military drills with the United States and expansion of their conventional strike capabilities. Kim described these steps as “dangerous" military actions that increase tensions.
The North Korean leader also addressed domestic issues in his speech like the rollout of a much-delayed vaccine for the Covid-19 virus. Kim didn't share many details about the rollout of the vaccine or how it will be administered to North Korea's 26 million population.
Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunization (GAVI) in June informed about the unspecified reports of North Korea procuring the Covid-19 vaccine from China.
The speech came a day after South Korea extended its olive branch which contemplated a meeting with North Korea to resume temporary reunions of aging relatives who were separated in the Korean War. Such reunions were last held in 2018. According to Statista, the number of alive family members divided by the Korean War of 1952-53 is 13,000. To date, 21 reunions have already taken place.
North Korea is unlikely to accept South's offer as the relations have recently deteriorated amid a stalemate in large nuclear deliberations between North Korea and the United States. The diplomatic outreach of 2019 between the US and North Korea derailed after a impasse on the removal of Western sanctions and North Korea's denuclearization steps.
The United States efforts to put more pressure on North Korea are also affected by a new low in relations of the United States with Russia and China. Especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and consequent Western sanctions on Russia, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seems completely divided.
North Korea in recent months has used increasingly provocative remarks against the United States and even its Asian allies. As the country is pacing up its nuclear arsenal, North Korea also warned of proactively using nuclear weapons if threatened.
In 2020, Kim Jong Un accelerated his weapon test launching a record 30 ballistic missiles in the year. He also demonstrated an inter-continental ballistic missile for the first time.
U.S. and South Korean officials say Kim may up the ante soon by ordering the North’s first nuclear test in five years as he pushes brinkmanship aimed at forcing Washington to accept the idea of the North as nuclear power and negotiating concessions from a position of strength.
Kim is also trying to get closer to China and Russia in order to leverage that against the United States.
United States officials also informed that in order to ease up the pressure on their armoury, Russia is also importing ammunition including artillery shells and rockets from North Korea.
North Korea even joined Syria to recognize the independence of two pro-Russian breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine. The country has even deliberated on sending construction workers to rebuild those areas.
