In his speech at the U.N. General Assembly in NY on Friday (local time), North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho vowed to bolster the country’s nuclear armed forces to cope with “increased war threats from the United States”, claiming the country’s fifth nuclear test was part of such an efforts.
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Speaking to the General Assembly, Ri Yong-ho said his country will “continue to take measures to strengthen its national nuclear armed forces in both quantity and quality”.
The UN and the West have so far imposed a raft of sanctions on North Korea, prompting Pyongyang to step up its nuclear activities. Four days after North Korea’s most recent nuclear test, the USA flew two B-1 bombers over the Korean peninsula, escorted by South Korean F-15 fighter jets.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was also the target of Ri’s speech, with the Foreign Minister challenging the legality of resolutions passed against North Korea from within the highest body of the UN.
North Korea’s nuclear and missiles tests have been condemned worldwide and have resulted in several rounds of United Nations sanctions, the most recent of which were adopted in March.
“The successful nuclear warhead explosion test that we have conducted recently is part of practical countermeasures to the rackets of threats and sanctions of the hostile forces, including the United States”, Ri said.
Ri said that by imposing sanctions on North Korea, the U.N. Security Council was “playing the role of covering up the highhandeness and arbitrariness of the United States”.
Kerry also vowed that the United States would defend its own citizens against the North Korean threat and honor its security commitments to its allies.
The United States says that the planned deployment of its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea is not negotiable.
China, whose full backing is widely seen as crucial for sanctions on North Korea to be effective, is strongly opposed to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and some experts have argued it should be part of talks on new United Nations measures.
Delegates from the United States and South Korea were shown listening to Ri’s speech and elected not to walk out of the assembly.
Military experts are anxious that North Korea is moving closer toward obtaining the ability to put nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles.
Speaking at the UN Assembly, Ri Yong Ho said the Korean Peninsula “has now been turned into the world’s most unsafe hot spot”.
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“The worldwide system is being exploited by (North Korea). for the goal of pursuing an illegal nuclear and missiles program that threatens both its neighbors and regional peace and security”.
