Story highlights Thae Yong-ho was formerly No. 2 at the North Korean Embassy in London

He sees a change in US administration as something Kim Jong Un will take advantage of

(CNN) Political uncertainty in the United States and in South Korea could give North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "an apt time" to develop nuclear weapons "at all costs by the end of 2017," a high-profile North Korean diplomat who recently defected to South Korea said Tuesday.

"Due to domestic political procedures, North Korea calculates that South Korea and the US will not be able to take physical or military actions to deter North Korea's nuclear development," Thae Yong-ho, formerly No. 2 at the North Korean Embassy in London, said in a news briefing, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

Thae said Kim has no plans to give up the country's nukes even if he is offered huge sums of money, saying the leader is "racing ahead with nuclear development after setting up a plan to develop it (nuclear weapons) at all costs by the end of 2017."

President-elect Donald Trump signaled last week that he will look to "strengthen and expand" the US nuclear capability, tweeting, "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes." Trump's comments came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin also pledged to enhance his country's nuclear forces.

JUST WATCHED What could Trump do about North Korea? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH What could Trump do about North Korea? 02:29

Pyongyang will try to open dialogue with Seoul's and Washington's new administrations as a nuclear-possessing state, Thae predicted of the North's strategy to obtain a nuclear power status.

Read More