2024-01-01 10:46:04
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his military should “completely annihilate” the United States and South Korea if provoked, state media reported Monday, following pledging to bolster national defense to cope. to what he described as an unprecedented confrontation led by Washington.
Kim is expected to step up weapons testing in 2024, ahead of the US presidential election in November. Many experts point out that he might believe that a larger nuclear arsenal might win him concessions if former President Donald Trump returns to the White House.
spy satellites
During an important five-day meeting of the ruling party last week, Kim said he will launch three more spy satellitesa, will produce more nuclear materials and develop attack drones this year in what, according to observers, is an attempt to increase its weight in the face of possible diplomacy with the United States.
In a meeting with army officials on Sunday, Kim noted that it is urgent to sharpen “the precious sword” to protect national security, in an apparent reference to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. He cited “military confrontation moves by the United States and other hostile forces,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The president stressed that “our army must deal a lethal blow to completely annihilate them by mobilizing all the harshest means and possibilities without a moment’s hesitation” if they opt for military confrontation and provocations to the North, the ACNC noted.
In his New Year’s speech on Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol indicated that he will strengthen his military’s preemptive strike capabilities, missile defense and response options in the face of the North Korean nuclear threat.
“The Republic of Korea is building a genuine and lasting peace through strength, not a submissive peace that depends on the goodwill of the adversary,” Yoon said, using the nation’s official name.
At the Workers’ Party meeting, Kim called his southern neighbor a “hemiplegic malformation and subordinate colonial state,” whose society is “contaminated by Yankee culture.” Furthermore, he noted that his military must use all means at its disposal, including the nuclear arsenal, to “suppress the entire territory of South Korea” in the event of conflict.
For its part, the South Korean Ministry of Defense warned that if Pyongyang tries to use nuclear weapons, the forces of Seoul and Washington will punish it forcefully, which would mean the end of Kim’s government.
Experts say there might be small-scale military clashes between North and South along their militarized border this year. In addition, they indicated that Pyongyang is expected to test intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach US territory and other important weapons.
Kim and Trump, years ago
Between 2018 and 2019, Kim and Trump held three rounds of talks regarding North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. Diplomacy failed following Washington rejected Kim’s offer to dismantle his main nuclear complex, a limited step, in exchange for a notable reduction in sanctions led by the country.
Since last year, Pyongyang has carried out more than 100 missile test launches, prompting Washington and Seoul to reinforce their joint military exercises. The North has also sought to strengthen its relationship with China and Russia, which blocked efforts by the United States and its allies in the United Nations Security Council to toughen sanctions once morest it over weapons tests.
According to the ACNC, Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged New Year messages on Monday regarding strengthening bilateral ties. The North is suspected of providing conventional weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine in exchange for sophisticated Russian technology to improve its military programs.
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