North Korea Activates 'Automatic' Nuclear Strikes
WHAT HAS HAPPENED ?
Kim Jong Un expanded the circumstances under which North Korea would launch a nuclear strike -- including attacking automatically
if his leadership is threatened - Further raising the stakes for any military confrontation with the US and its allies.
The North's rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, passed the legislation on Thursday.
The move comes as observers say North Korea appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017,
After historic summits with then-U.S. president Donald Trump and other world leaders in 2018 failed to persuade Kim to abandon his weapons development.
REPLACES THE LAW PASSED IN 2013
The legislation, which replaces a less expansive law passed in 2013, outlines five conditions for using weapons of mass destruction, Including in response to conventional attacks on state leaders and to prevent the "expansion or protraction" of a conflict.
Among the scenarios that could trigger a nuclear attack would be the threat of an imminent nuclear strike; if the country's leadership, people or existence were under threat; or to gain the upper hand during a war, among other reasons.
"The utmost significance of legislating nuclear weapons policy is to draw an irretrievable line so that there can be no bargaining over our nuclear weapons," Kim said in a speech to the assembly, adding that he would never surrender the weapons even if the country faced 100 years of sanctions. The legislation codifies a looser nuclear doctrine articulated by Kim as early as April, when he said the country's strategic rocket forces have a "second mission" in addition to deterring wars.
The shift appeared aimed at protecting Kim himself, whose administration has long accused the US and South Korea of seeking regime change in Pyongyang.
VAGUE CIRCUMSTANCES
The new law goes beyond that to allow preemptive nuclear strikes if an imminent attack by weapons of mass destruction or against the country's "strategic targets", including its leadership, is detected.
"In a nutshell, there are some really vague and ambiguous circumstances in which North Korea is now saying it might use its nuclear weapons," Chad O'Carroll, founder of the North Korea tracking website NK News, said on Twitter.
"I imagine the purpose is to give U.S. and South Korean military planners pause for thought over a much wider range of actions than before."
WHAT 'AUTOMATIC' MEANS ?
Under the law, Kim has "all decisive powers" over nuclear weapons, but if the command and control system is threatened, then nuclear weapons may be launched "automatically".
If Kim delegates launch authority to lower commanders during a crisis, that could increase the chances of a catastrophic miscalculation, analysts said.
WHAT ABOUT STRIKE ON NON-NUCLEAR STATES ?
Like the earlier law, the new version vows not to threaten non-nuclear states with nuclear weapons unless they join with a nuclear armed country to attack North Korea.
The new law adds, however, that Pyongyang can launch a preemptive nuclear strike if it detects an imminent attack of any kind aimed at North Korea's leadership and the command organization of its nuclear forces.
That is an apparent reference to South Korea's "Kill Chain" strategy, which calls for preemptively striking North Korea's nuclear infrastructure and command system if an imminent attack is suspected.
Kim cited Kill Chain, part of a three-pronged military strategy being boosted under new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, as a sign that the situation is deteriorating and Pyongyang must prepare for long-term tensions.
WHAT US SAID ?
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters she was aware of the reports from North Korea and reiterated past U.S. statements that, Washington has no hostile intent toward North Korea and continues
to seek diplomacy with the country. "The United States remains focused on continuing to coordinate closely with our allies and partners to address the threats posed by DPRK," she added.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Friday it was "closely monitoring" any military activity on the Korean peninsula.
North Korea's ally China did not address the new law and its implications when its Foreign Ministry was asked for comment on Friday, though Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said its position on the Korean peninsula "had not changed".
CONCLUSION
Analysts say Kim's goal is to win international acceptance of North Korea's status as a "responsible nuclear state."
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly offered to talk to Kim any time, at any place, and Yoon has said Seoul would provide massive economic aid if Pyongyang began to give up its nuclear arsenal.
Seoul on Thursday offered to hold talks with North Korea on reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, in its first direct overture under Yoon, despite strained cross-border ties.
North Korea has rebuffed such overtures, however, saying that the United States and its allies maintain "hostile policies" such as sanctions and military drills that undermine their messages of peace.
