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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks to a party congress in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, in this Korean Central News Agency photo released the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
N Korea-party congress
N. Korea's Kim says prospects of relations with U.S. hinges on Washington's attitude
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said prospects of relations with the United States are entirely dependent on Washington's attitude, while ruling out the likelihood of any dialogue with South Korea, according to the North's state media Thursday.
Kim made the remarks as Pyongyang wrapped up its key party congress, adding that North Korea will fully exercise its status as a nuclear-armed state.
Kim also noted that Pyongyang has no reason not to get along with Washington if its hostile policy is dropped.
"It is our party's firm and unwavering will to further strengthen state nuclear forces and thoroughly exercise nuclear-armed state status," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim as saying during the ninth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The congress, the first since 2021, opened last Thursday and ran for a week to review policy results from the previous congress and set new goals for the next five years.
"Our status as a nuclear-armed country plays an important role in deterring enemies' potential threats and maintaining regional stability," Kim said, calling the country's nuclear weapons "a guarantee and safety device" of its security and interests.
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