North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said he stands ready to use nuclear weapons “anytime and anywhere.” North Korean state television reported the comments as it broadcast pictures of Kim inspecting nuclear warheads, as part of what the North calls a program to produce more nuclear material. On Monday, North Korea test-fired two tactical ballistic missiles into waters off the coast of Japan — the North’s seventh missile test this month. The launches came after the U.S. Navy and South Korea completed their biggest springtime war games in years, and as the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier battle group arrived at the Busan Naval Base in South Korea. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports North Korea is preparing to resume foreign diplomatic activity, as Kim Jong-un gradually reopens the country after three years of isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.
