"Maintaining a Korean Peninsula Without War or Nuclear Weapons"... Ministry of Unification Repeats 'Empty Position' Amid North Korea's Nuclear Buildup

According to The Financial News, the Lee Jae-myung administration stated on the 5th that its position on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged, despite North Korea's continued efforts to advance its nuclear capabilities. The government was responding to Kim Jong Un's public disclosure of a test launch of a destroyer equipped with strategic cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, as part of the navy's nuclear armament.
An official from the Ministry of Unification (MOU) told reporters that day, "As President Lee emphasized in his Independence Movement Day address, we will consistently maintain a Korean Peninsula without war and without nuclear weapons."
On the 1st, President Lee said, "Our government will respect the North's system and will not engage in any hostile acts, nor will it pursue any form of unification by absorption," pledging to steadily push forward policies aimed at restoring inter-Korean relations. However, as North Korea refuses to halt its nuclear buildup, opposition parties have criticized the government's policy as hollow.
On the 3rd and 4th, Kim Jong Un personally inspected the operational deployment status of the Choi Hyun-ho, described as a "North Korean Aegis-style" destroyer that is being prepared to carry nuclear weapons. He also observed in succession the test launch of strategic cruise missiles from the destroyer and a "Sniper's Day" shooting competition. These activities appear intended to showcase the capabilities of the North Korean military amid heightened tensions triggered by the United States of America (US) attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran. With the ROK-US Combined Military Exercise approaching, the MOU is closely monitoring the situation.
Kim Jong Un announced that surface vessels equal to or larger than the Choi Hyun-ho will be built at a rate of two ships per year during the new five-year plan period. He stated, "The nuclear armament of our navy is being carried out satisfactorily," and added, "If there are forces that harbor doubts about our efforts to strengthen our defense capabilities, it means they are soon to become our enemies." Although he did not specify particular adversaries, the remarks are seen as implicitly targeting the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the US. During the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim effectively designated the ROK as an enemy by declaring that it would be permanently excluded from the community of fellow Koreans. The MOU, however, cautioned against overinterpretation, saying it had no particular comment on the broader international situation.
Kim Jong Un also attended a shooting competition marking "Sniper's Day" on the 3rd at Training Base No. 60 in Pyongyang. The MOU reported that North Korea has been increasing the number of snipers since it dispatched troops to Russia.


rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter