In a rare address to Washington, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that bilateral relations could improve if the United States accepts Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal as a permanent reality.

Addressing the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party, Kim Jong Un laid out a stark diplomatic ultimatum to the United States. He declared an intent to aggressively expand North Korea's nuclear capabilities while paradoxically offering a pathway to coexistence.

The pronouncement fundamentally shifts the geopolitical calculus ahead of the US administration's regional tours. By demanding nuclear recognition as a prerequisite for peace, Pyongyang forces Washington to choose between indefinite standoff and an uncomfortable compromise that impacts global security.

The Nuclear Prerequisite

The rhetoric from the capital leaves no room for denuclearization negotiations. Kim explicitly stated that the United States must respect North Korea's nuclear status, a position now formally stipulated in the nation's constitution.

Should the US withdraw its "hostile policy," Kim suggested that peaceful coexistence is entirely plausible. This strategic positioning attempts to bypass historical diplomatic roadblocks by establishing the nuclear deterrent as a non-negotiable baseline.

Severing Ties with the South

In a concurrent and alarming shift, Pyongyang has definitively severed the possibility of a diplomatic thaw with South Korea. Kim branded Seoul as the North's "most hostile entity," permanently excluding the nation from the category of compatriots.

• Expansion of nuclear operational range and arsenal volume.
• Rejection of South Korea as a diplomatic intermediary.
• Direct bilateral engagement ultimatum issued to Washington.
• Preparation for permanent confrontation if demands are unmet.

Analysts observe that this maneuver isolates South Korea, forcing the United States to engage directly with Pyongyang without regional mediation. The tactic is a calculated effort to elevate North Korea's status to that of a direct global peer.

The Washington Dilemma

The ball is now squarely in the court of US policymakers. The impending visit by the US President to China will likely serve as a crucible for this new dynamic, as regional powers assess the viability of engaging a formally nuclearized North Korea.

"Whether it's peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make," Kim warned, sealing the starkest diplomatic challenge of the decade.