Kim vows to unveil new weapon as U.S. lets his deadline pass

Kim Jong Un.
(Image credit: Pyeongyang Press Corps/Pool/Getty Images)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Wednesday that his country would continue building its nuclear arsenal and soon unveil a new strategic weapon, state-run media outlet KCNA reported Wednesday.

Kim's comments came after his deadline passed for the U.S. to begin new talks on exchanging denuclearization progress and sanctions relief. He had warned he might take a "new path" if the U.S. ignored his ultimatum, raising concerns that North Korea would soon test an intercontinental missile and a nuclear warhead.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped Pyongyang would not take such provocative actions. "We're hopeful that... Chairman Kim will make the right decision − he'll choose peace and prosperity over conflict and war," Pompeo said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.

Harold Maass

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at TheWeek.com. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 launch of the U.S. print edition. Harold has worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, Fox News, and ABC News. For several years, he wrote a daily round-up of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and two sons.