North Korea’s leader has issued a stark warning that his country could “take arbitrary action” and “completely destroy” South Korea if its security is threatened.Kim Jong-un also stated that South Korea’s “complete collapse cannot be ruled out,” marking his most direct threats against Seoul in recent reports from state media KCNA on Thursday.
During remarks at the country’s Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, Mr Kim outlined plans to expand North Korea’s nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, dismissing dialogue with South Korea and describing it as the “most hostile enemy.” He added that the development of the nuclear arsenal would continue, and any improvement in relations with the United States would depend entirely on Washington’s approach.
The comments underscore the widening gap in policies between Seoul and Pyongyang. Responding on Thursday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed that peace must be the guiding principle. “A long-established sense of hostility and confrontation cannot be eliminated in an instant. We must build trust through continuous efforts,” he said. At the Congress, Mr Kim vowed to advance stronger intercontinental ballistic missiles and develop attack systems using artificial intelligence, unmanned drones, and weapons capable of targeting enemy satellites, according to KCNA. The event concluded with a military parade in the capital on Wednesday.
The attendance of Mr Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, at the parade has sparked speculation that she may be groomed as his successor.The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated last year that North Korea has approximately 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, noting that Pyongyang is accelerating production of additional material.
While Mr Kim has not engaged in overtures from US President Donald Trump — whom he met three times during the latter’s first term — he has suggested that dialogue remains possible. “If the US withdraws its policy of confrontation with North Korea by respecting our country’s current status… There is no reason why we cannot get along well with the US,” he said, according to KCNA. Mr Trump is scheduled to travel to China from March 31 to April 2, and South Korea’s intelligence agency has speculated that a meeting between the two leaders could take place around that time.
Source: https://news.sky.com/
