It appears that President Trump’s efforts to defuse tensions between America and North Korea, even after three historic summits, has failed. In an address to North Korea’s top political leaders, gathered in Pyongyang for the Eighth Workers’ Party Congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave an update on the progress of the country’s nuclear armaments.  The leader has said that the projects are at various stages of development a “multiple-warhead guidance technology” is in the final stage, while studies in hypersonic flight that could be applied to new ballistic missiles “are complete,” with North Korea “making preparations for their test and production” The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports. Advances are also being made in tactical nuclear weapons, research in nuclear-powered submarines is complete and in the final stages of examination.

There have been speculations that much of Kim’s words were targeted at the US, especially given the likelihood of Joe Biden in his capacity as President strengthening ties with South Korea. The BBC reports that Kim has said that that the US has been his country’s “biggest obstacle for our revolution and our biggest enemy … “No matter who is in power in the US, the true nature and the true spirit of the anti-North Korea policy will never change,” “The development of nuclear weapons [are to] be pushed forward without interruption.” He has said that the establishment of a new North Korea- United states relationship requires the US to end its “policy of hostility” towards Pyongyang.

If it is any consolation, Kim Jong-un has pledged that North Korea will be a responsible nuclear power abiding by a “no first use policy of nuclear weapons”. He has said, “As a responsible nuclear power, North Korea will not abuse nuclear weapons unless invasive hostile forces try to use it against it.”