FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in this undated photo released on December 30, 2019 by North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday vowed to continue developing his country’s nuclear deterrent and introduce a “new strategic weapon” in the near future, state media KCNA said, after the United States missed a year-end deadline for a restart of denuclearization talks.
While accusing Washington of making “gangster-like demands,” Kim said at a key ruling Workers’ Party meeting that the scope of the nuclear deterrent will depend on the United States’ future attitude, leaving the door for dialogue open.
Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Jack Kim; Editing by Leslie Adler