State media reported on Friday that North Korea has officially codified the right to conduct preemptive nuclear attacks to defend itself in a new legislation that, according to leader Kim Jong Un, renders its nuclear position “irreversible” and forbids denuclearization discussions.
After historic summits with then-US president Donald Trump and other top world leaders in 2018 failed to convince Kim to give up his weapons programme, observers say North Korea appears to be prepared to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
The Supreme People’s Assembly, the North Korea’s rubber-stamp legislature, approved the legislation on Thursday to replace a statute from 2013 that initially described the nation’s nuclear status.
In a speech to the assembly, Kim said, “The most important purpose of drafting nuclear weapons policy is to draw an irrevocable line so that there can be no bargaining over our nuclear weapons.” He added that he would never give up the weapons, even if it meant facing 100 years of sanctions.
A nuclear assault could occur for a number of reasons, including the possibility of an impending nuclear strike, a threat to the country’s government, citizens, or existence, or the desire to gain the upper hand in a conflict.
The law, according to a member of the assembly, would provide North Korea with a strong legal assurance for maintaining its status as a nuclear weapons state and guaranteeing the “transparent, consistent, and standard character” of its nuclear programme.
Nuclear weapons may be unleashed “automatically” if the command and control system is threatened, but Kim is given “all deciding powers” under the law.
Analysts warned that if Kim gives subordinate commanders launch authority during a crisis, the likelihood of a disastrous error would rise.
The rule, which forbids exchanging nuclear technology or arms with other nations, aims to lower the risk of nuclear war by limiting nuclear weapon misuse and calculation errors among nuclear weapon states.
According to analysts, Kim wants to make North Korea recognized as a “responsible nuclear state” on a global scale.
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