North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said his military would “thoroughly annihilate” the US and South Korea if provoked, Pyongyang’s state media has reported.
He promised to further boost his country’s military capability as he continues to rage at South Korea’s expanding military drills.
Many experts fear that Kim will ramp up both his rhetoric and weapons tests in order to try and gain concessions from the US, especially with the US Presidential election taking place in November.
The leander told a meeting of commanding officers on Sunday that it is urgent to sharpen “the treasured sword” to safeguard national security.
He also referred to “the U.S. and other hostile forces’ military confrontation moves.”
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Kim Jong-un branded South Korea “a hemiplegic malformation and colonial subordinate state” whose society is “tainted by Yankee culture.
He added that his country would use all available means including nuclear weapons to “suppress the whole territory of South Korea” in the event of a conflict.
North Korean media reported him as saying: “The grave situation requires us to accelerate works to acquire overwhelming war response capabilities and thorough and perfect military readiness to suppress any types of provocations by the enemies at a stroke.
“If we look closely at the confrontational military actions by the enemy forces… the word ‘war’ has become a realistic reality and not an abstract concept.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also said his country will strengthen its military capabilities in light of the threats from Pyongyang.
South Korea’s unification ministry said Kim’s remarks are “further provocation is always possible to highlight North Korea’s presence ahead of the US presidential election”.
It added: “(North Korea) could maintain its hard-line stance against the US and anti-American, anti-imperialist solidarity, and also seek opportunities to turn the situation around at the same time.”
North Korea has tested over 100 ballistic missiles since last year.
Many of these were nuclear-capable missiles that could reach the US.
The US and South Korea have expanded their military drills in recent years, to the anger of Kim.
