The Kim government has now passed a law enshrining the right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes to protect its nation. It comes as the leader accused America of pushing an agenda aimed at weakening the North’s defenses and ultimately the “collapse” of his government. Kim said the new law would make its nuclear regime “irreversible” and bar any denuclearization talks, state media reported on Friday. Observers say North Korea appears poised to resume nuclear tests for the first time since 2017 after historic summits with then-US President Donald Trump and other world leaders in 2018 failed to convince Kim to give up weapons development . Read more: US, South Korea begin biggest military drill in years amid growing nuclear threat from North Korea The North’s parliament, the Supreme People’s Assembly, passed the law on Thursday, according to state news agency KCNA. A lawmaker in the assembly said the law would cement North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state and ensure the “transparent, consistent and formal nature” of its nuclear policy, KCNA reported. In his speech to parliament, Kim said: “The utmost importance of the legislative policy on nuclear weapons is to draw an irreparable line so that there will be no negotiations on our nuclear weapons.” Image: The reclusive nation’s dictator Kim Jong Un observes missile tests North Korea has already declared itself a nuclear weapons state in its constitution, but the new law goes beyond that to describe when nuclear weapons can be used, including in response to an attack or to stop an invasion. It also allows for pre-emptive nuclear strikes if an imminent attack with weapons of mass destruction or against the country’s “strategic targets” is detected. US President Joe Biden’s administration has offered to hold talks with Kim anytime, anywhere, and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has said his country will provide generous financial aid if Pyongyang begins giving up its arsenal. But North Korea has rejected those initiatives, saying the United States and its allies maintain “hostile policies” such as sanctions and military exercises that undermine their messages of peace. “As long as nuclear weapons remain on earth and imperialism remains and the maneuvers of the United States and its followers against our democracy do not end, our work to strengthen nuclear power will not stop,” Kim said.
