North Korea will 'annihilate' South Korea, US if provoked : Kim Jong Un
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North Korean despot Kim Jong Un welcomed the new year by vowing to “thoroughly annihilate” the US and rival South Korea if provoked — by deploying the Hermit Kingdom’s nuclear arsenal, referred to as its “treasured sword.”
The heightened rhetoric comes after a year during which North Korea tested its largest ballistic missile and launched its first reconnaissance satellite.
“If the enemy opt for military confrontation our army should deal a deadly blow to thoroughly annihilate them by mobilizing all the toughest means and potentialities without moments’ hesitation,” Kim told the nation, according to the KCNA news agency.
The leader also slammed his rival to the south, calling South Korea “a hemiplegic malformation and colonial subordinate state” that has become “tainted by Yankee culture.”
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He vowed that he would launch three more surveillance satellites, beef up production of nuclear materials and increase the nation’s arsenal of military attack drones.
The controversial leader’s comments were made Sunday before senior military leaders who gathered at the headquarters of the ruling Workers’ Party.
The strong remarks were viewed by experts as a ploy by Kim to force concessions from the US in future negotiations.
In a New Year’s Day address on Monday, South Korean President Yoon Sukl Yeol said the country would be prepared for any hostility from North Korea.
“The Republic of Korea is building genuine, lasting peace through strength, not submissive peace that is dependent on goodwill of the adversary,” he said.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said the Asian nation and the US would retaliate.
With Post wires
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