North Korean leader: Nuke button is ‘on my table’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is beginning 2018 by issuing a new wave of threats against U.S., touting his nation’s ability to deploy nuclear weapons with the push of a button.

“The U.S. should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table,” Kim said in his annual new year address to his country, The Associated Press reported Sunday night. 

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“The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range,” he continued, while claiming that now the U.S. “can never start a war against me and our country.”

President Trump, asked about Kim’s remarks as he arrived at the New Year’s Eve party hosted at his estate in Florida, shrugged off the news.

“We’ll see, we’ll see. Come on inside,” he said.

During his speech, Kim also called for better relations with South Korea — a suggestion he has made more often than he has acted on, the news wire noted.

Kim also indicated an interest in sending a delegation to participate in the Winter Olympics, which its southern neighbor is scheduled to host in February, according to the report.

“The Winter Olympic games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results,” he said.

Kim’s remarks at the annual event come amid already high tensions with Washington over its missile and nuclear tests throughout 2017.

Kim also reportedly highlighted the isolated state’s economic achievements during the speech, and nodded towards trying to improve the country’s standard of living.

His remarks come after both the U.S. and the United Nations slapped repeated rounds of sanctions against the state in response to Pyongyang’s aggressive weapons testing.

His annual speech serves as a indication of his priorities for 2018.

This story was updated at 10:03 p.m.