DPRK leader says hard to believe US non-hostile signaling to Pyongyang

PYONGYANG - Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has said that "there has been no behavioral ground to believe" US recent frequent signaling that it is not hostile to the DPRK, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday.

In a speech at a defense development exhibition held on Monday in Pyongyang to mark the 76th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim said "the military threats our country is facing are different from what we saw 10, five or three years ago," and that tensions on the Korean Peninsula will not be easily resolved "due to the US."

He also slammed South Korea for being "hypocritical" and having "double standards" for continuing to boost military capabilities, and the DPRK would respond with "strong actions" if Seoul continues to "infringe upon our rights to self-defense."

The DPRK leader called for boosting the country's military capabilities to counter the hostile forces, but noted the enhancement of its military is not aimed at South Korea, and the "horrific history" of a conflict among the same people should not be repeated "on this land."

"Our enemy is war itself, not a certain country or forces like South Korea and the US," Kim added.

The report said the exhibition displayed all kinds of weapons and equipment developed and produced in recent five years to show the powerful defence capabilities of the DPRK.