North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will speed up steps toward becoming a military superpower with nuclear weapons and would not rule out using them if it came under enemy attack, state news agency KCNA reported Tuesday. This does not preclude the use of nuclear weapons.”“Our footsteps towards becoming a military superpower and a nuclear power will accelerate,” he added. North Korea has for decades pursued a nuclear weapons program and is believed to have enough fissile materials to build dozens of the weapons. It has conducted six underground nuclear detonation tests. Last week, South Korea marked an annual armed forces day with a large military parade showcasing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a massive warhead and featuring a flypast of a U.S. strategic bomber.

---

Persons: Kim Jong Un, KCNA, Kim, Yoon Suk, “ Yoon Suk Yeol, ” KCNA, ”, Kim Jong Organizations: South, Republic, U.S, Kim Jong Un National Defense University Locations: Seoul, colluding, Washington, South Korea, North Korea, U.S