16 minutes agoKim Jong Un takes an unexpected step
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has offered a rare olive branch to the southern neighbouring country, offering talks on sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyongchang next month. Kim made an extremely conciliatory statement in his annual New Year's talk, expressing his [...] desire.
Kim made an extremely conciliatory statement in his New Year's annual speech, expressing his wish “for peaceful solutions with our southern border”, broadcast CNN.
Kim's comments on South Korea surprised analysts, who described them as the most important part of his talk.
Tensions with South Korea have been high, as the communist regime carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.
In his speech, Kim called for peace in the Korean Peninsula.
“North and south should work together to ease tensions and work together as a common people to find peace and stability”, Kim said.
He added that North Korean representatives should start talks with their South Korean counterparts “as soon as possible” to discuss sending a delegation of the 2018 Winter Games.
Kim wanted South Korea success in hosting the upcoming Olympics and said the event would be a good “san” to show the greatness of the Korean people.
But Kim has raised his warnings in the United States.
The entire US piece is inside the range of our nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on my desk. They must be aware that this is not a threat, but a reality,” said Kim.
“No matter how many America wants to attack us with its military forces and nuclear power, they know that we now have such nuclear powers and therefore they will not dare,” he went on, adding that his country's greatest achievement in 2017 was <x2-> the historical fulfillment of our nuclear capabilities.
Ean Graham, director of the International Security Programme at the Lovy Institute, told CNN that the soft tone towards South Korea was a surprise.
The olive branch trying to reach the south is the most important change, because so far, they have simply not shown any interest in engaging with south”, he said.
However, an olive branch is always wrapped in some sort of aggressive dress and this does not represent the end of the” nuclear programme, he adds.
Tensions have been on the rise between the US and North Korea in recent months. Admiral Mike Mullen said yesterday that the United States is “closer than ever in the nuclear war with North Korea”.
Last week, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted new sanctions on North Korea in response to the ballistic missile test.
North Korean state news agency KCNA issued a report Saturday that the country will remain committed to its nuclear development in 2018.
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