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Kim Jong Un Warns of Hard Times in 'Long-Term Confrontation' with US

William Gallo

   SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may not have formally abandoned
   nuclear talks in his New Year's comments published Wednesday. But Kim
   appears to be preparing his domestic audience for a long-term future
   without sanctions relief, effectively dismissing the possibility of
   progress in negotiations that have been stalled for months.

   In his comments at the end of a four-day ruling party meeting, Kim
   unveiled a defiant new stance toward the U.S. and warned his country of
   possible hard times ahead. Because of the "long-term confrontation with
   the U.S.," Kim said, "it should be seen as a "fait accompli that we
   have to live under the sanctions by the hostile forces in the future."

   "The DPRK-U.S. stand-off which has lasted century after century has now
   been compressed to (a) clear stand-off between self-reliance and
   sanctions," Kim said, using the acronym for North Korea's official
   name.

   Kim also threatened to resume intercontinental ballistic missile or
   nuclear tests and warned the world would soon witness a "new strategic
   weapon" -- comments that dominated most international media coverage of
   the speech.

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