SEOUL, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said there was "no reason" Pyongyang could not improve relations with the United States if Washington abandons what he called its hostile policy, while simultaneously vowing to expand the country's nuclear arsenal, according to state media reports Thursday marking the close of a major ruling party congress.
The remarks came as North Korea concluded the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea this week and staged a large nighttime military parade in Pyongyang showcasing troops and weapons systems in a display of force.
In a report delivered to party delegates and published Thursday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said future relations with Washington depended entirely on the U.S. position.
"The U.S. policy of hegemony and tyranny has severely shaken the foundations of peace and security in places around the world," Kim said, according to KCNA.
"However, if the U.S. respects the present position of our state ... and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, there is no reason why we cannot get on well with the U.S.," he said.
