North Korea’s Kim vows to sharpen ‘treasured sword’ against US and South, 2024 will be ‘new heyday’ for war preparations
Kim stressed that “our army should deal a deadly blow to thoroughly annihilate them by mobilising all the toughest means and potentialities without moment’s hesitation” if they opt for military confrontation and provocations against North Korea, KCNA said.
“The Republic of Korea is building genuine, lasting peace through strength, not a submissive peace that is dependent on the goodwill of the adversary,” Yoon said, using South Korea’s official name.
At the party meeting, Kim called South Korea “a hemiplegic malformation and colonial subordinate state” whose society is “tainted by Yankee culture.” He said his military must use all available means including nuclear weapons to “suppress the whole territory of South Korea” in the event of a conflict.
South Korea’s defence ministry warned in response that if North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, South Korean and US forces will punish it overwhelmingly, resulting in the end of the Kim government.
Experts say small-scale military clashes between North and South Korea could happen this year along their heavily armed border. They say North Korea is also expected to test-launch intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the mainland US and other major new weapons.
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Kim Jong-un vows to accelerate war preparations, while the South holds rare defence drills
In his message, the North Korean leader expressed willingness to further promote bilateral exchange and visits “in all fields, including politics, economy and culture,” while Xi said Beijing is willing to open “a new chapter” in the two countries’ friendship, KCNA added.
North Korea faces suspicions that it has supplied conventional arms for Russia’s war in Ukraine in return for sophisticated Russian technologies to enhance the North’s military programmes.
Additional reporting by Kyodo