Kim calls for preparedness for confrontation with US

Kim “stressed the need to get prepared for both dialogue and confrontation, especially to get fully prepared for confrontation” with the US during a ruling party meeting, Korean Central News Agency reported, according to The Associated Press.

North Korea needs to “protect the dignity of our state and its interests for independent development and to reliably guarantee the peaceful environment and the security of our state,” Kim said, according to the state media outlet.

The comments come after the Group of Seven (G-7) countries — the US, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — pushed North Korea earlier this week to abandon its nuclear and missile program, AP noted. The countries encouraged the Asian country to come to the negotiating table and respect human rights conditions, according to the wire service. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in May there was no "grand bargain" to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

"I don't think there's going to be grand bargain where this gets resolved in one fell swoop," Blinken said. "It's got to be clearly calibrated diplomacy, clear steps from the North Koreans, and it moves forward in that way."

"Previous administrations, Republican and Democrat alike, have tried to tackle it, and no one's fully succeeded to say the least. In fact, the program has gotten more advanced and more dangerous over time,” he added.

ZZ/PR