Kim Jong-un, The Supreme Leader of North Korea, has said that the East Asian nation's nuclear deterrence will guarantee permanent national security, reported the Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), on Tuesday.
Kim's remarks came during his speech on Monday at a national conference of veteran held to observe the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, the state media reported. "Thanks to our reliable and effective self-defense war deterrence, there will no longer be war on this land and our national security and future will be firmly guaranteed permanently," he said.
Fierce Struggle With Enemies Since The War
The Korean War ended in an armistice signed on July 27, 1953, which leaves South and North Korea technically in a state of war. The North calls the war the Fatherland Liberation War and designated the armistice signing date as Victory Day, reported Yonhap News Agency.
"Bearing in mind that we should have a strong power to safeguard the fate of our country and people, we will never stop honing the most powerful national defense capacity that cannot be matched by anyone else," added Kim.
Kim said that fierce struggles with enemies have continued since the Korean War and that pressure from imperialists has also increased, apparently referring to the United States against which it fought during the war.
Strengthening Internal Unity
He added that the pressure was the reason why the North had sought nuclear programs that he believes now help his country defend itself against outside threats. This marked the first time since 2015 that Kim delivered a speech at the conference of war veterans.
Observers say this year's event was aimed at tightening internal unity in the face of deepening economic fallout from the global coronavirus pandemic and crippling global sanctions that have been hurting North Korea's already frail economy.
The North held the first conference of war veterans in 1993, when it marked the 40th anniversary of the end of the war, Yonhap News Agency reported. The four others took place in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018, all after Kim took office in late 2011. State media reported that fireworks were displayed in central Pyongyang to celebrate the anniversary of the end of the war and lots of people gathered to watch the events.
(With inputs from agencies)
