Kim Jong-un threatens to unleash new weapon as he slams Trump’s ‘gangster-like demands’

KIM Jong-un has threatened to unleash a "new strategic weapon" in a New Year's address railing against President Trump.

The North Korean leader said his country was to end a moratorium on nuclear tests after what he called "gangster-like" demands by the United States.

He said he would now look to secure a nuclear deterrent, and that the US would "suffer helplessly" in any conflict between the two countries, North Korea's official KCNA news agency reported.

Kim was speaking at a meeting of 300 top officials from his ruling Workers' Party.

North Korea has been calling for the lifting of sanctions as a precondition to the resumption of talks on the future of North Korea's nuclear programme.

The remarks come after talks held in February in Vietnamese capital Hanoi failed to produce an agreement.

In June, Trump became the first US president to step on North Korean soil when he met Kim at the Demilitarised Zone on the South Korean border.

Under the now-suspended moratorium, North Korea has not tested a nuclear warhead or long-range missile since 2017.

In his New Year's address, Kim didn't rule out the reopening of talks in the future, but did say: "There is no ground for us to get unilaterally bound to the commitment any longer.

"The world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future.

"The US is raising demands contrary to the fundamental interests of our state and is adopting brigandish attitude.

"We can never sell our dignity."

He added that there would "never be the denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula" if the US persisted in its "hostile policy".

Speaking to Fox News, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said: "It remains the case that we hope Chairman Kim will take a different course.

"Hopefully he’ll choose peace and prosperity over conflict and war."

'NORTH KOREA MUST DENUCLEARISE'

Speaking in early December, Kim had warned Trump that the US would receive a "Christmas gift" if the US did not offer mutually-acceptable terms for a nuclear deal.

Ri Thae Song, a vice minister in charge of US relations, also accused the US of trying to drag out planned denuclearisation talks ahead of the presidential election next year.

His words appeared to be in response to a US state department statement calling for “sustained and substantial dialogue”.

In response, Trump tweeted: "Kim Jong Un is too smart and has far too much to lose, everything actually, if he acts in a hostile way.

"He does not want to void his special relationship with the President of the United States.

"North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, has tremendous economic potential, but it must denuclearize as promised.

"NATO, China, Russia, Japan, and the entire world is unified on this issue!"

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