SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen national defense in response to the unprecedented situation in the United States, saying his military would “completely annihilate” the United States and South Korea if provoked. ” state media reported on Monday. led the conflict.
In recent months, North Korea has stepped up its belligerent rhetoric in response to the expansion of US-South Korea military exercises.
Experts say Kim is likely to believe that if former President Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November, he can take advantage of rising tensions to extract US concessions. I predict that he will continue to escalate his statements and weapons tests.
At the ruling party's five-day main conference last week, Mr. Kim said he would launch three more military reconnaissance satellites, produce more nuclear material and develop attack drones this year, a move that could lead to future attacks against the U.S. Observers see this as an attempt to increase Kim's diplomatic influence.
In a meeting with military commanders on Sunday, Kim said there was an urgent need to sharpen the “jeweled sword” to protect national security, an apparent reference to the country's nuclear weapons program.
According to state-run Korean Central News Agency, he cited “movements for military confrontation between the United States and other hostile forces” as the reason.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, if Kim chooses a military confrontation or provocation against North Korea, he said, “Our military will not hesitate to mobilize all the most severe means and possibilities to deal with the deadly blow of complete annihilation.'' should be given,” he emphasized.
In his New Year's address on Monday, South Korean President Yun Seok-Yeol said his country would strengthen its military's first strike, missile defense and retaliatory capabilities to counter North Korea's nuclear threat.
“The Republic of Korea is building a true and lasting peace through strength, not an obedient peace that depends on the goodwill of the enemy,” Yoon said, using South Korea's official name.
At a party meeting, Kim described South Korea as “a deformed, hemiplegic colonial client state” and said its society was “contaminated by Yankee culture.”
He said that in the event of a conflict, the military must use all available means, including nuclear weapons, to “dominate all of South Korea.”
In response, South Korea's Ministry of Defense warned on Sunday that if North Korea tried to use nuclear weapons, South Korean and U.S. militaries would inflict overwhelming punishment, resulting in the end of the Kim regime.
According to KCNA, North Korean officials on Monday implemented Kim Jong-un's order to disband or reform organizations handling relations with South Korea in order to fundamentally change the principles and direction of North Korea's struggle against the South. We held a meeting to do so.
There was no immediate explanation as to what changes this would bring to inter-Korean relations, which have been at a standstill for a long time.
Experts say there is a possibility of small-scale military clashes between North and South Korea this year along the heavily armed border.
They say North Korea is also expected to test launch intercontinental ballistic missiles and other major new weapons capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.
From 2018 to 2019, Kim met with President Trump on three occasions regarding North Korea's nuclear expansion.
That diplomacy collapsed when the United States rejected Mr. Kim's proposal to dismantle key nuclear facilities, a limited measure, in exchange for a significant reduction in U.S.-led sanctions.
Since 2022, North Korea has conducted more than 100 missile tests, prompting the United States and South Korea to expand joint military exercises.
North Korea has also sought to strengthen ties with China and Russia, and has thwarted efforts by the United States and UN Security Council partners to tighten UN sanctions against North Korea over its weapons tests.
According to KCNA, Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged New Year's messages on Monday about strengthening bilateral ties.
North Korea faces charges that it supplied conventional weapons to Russia's war in Ukraine in exchange for advanced Russian technology to strengthen North Korea's military plans.
The size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal varies, with estimates ranging from about 20 to 30 bombs to more than 100.
Many foreign experts say that although North Korea's nuclear-capable short-range missiles could reach South Korea and Japan, it still must overcome several technical hurdles to produce a functional nuclear-capable ICBM. ing.
