Kim’s speech to war veterans on the 69th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War was apparently intended to boost domestic unity in the impoverished country amid economic hardships related to the pandemic. While Kim has increasingly threatened his rivals with nuclear weapons, he is unlikely to use them first against senior US troops and its allies, observers say.
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“Our armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any crisis, and our country’s nuclear deterrent is also ready to mobilize its full force responsibly, precisely and quickly according to its mission,” Kim said in Wednesday’s speech. , according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Story continues below ad He accused the United States of “demonizing” North Korea to justify its hostile policies. Kim said regular U.S.-South Korean military drills that he argued target the North highlight the “double standards” and “gangster” aspects of the U.S. because they characterize North Korea’s routine military activities – an apparent reference to its missile tests – as challenges or threats. Kim also claimed that the new South Korean government of President Yun Suk-yeol is led by “confrontational maniacs” and “gangsters” who have gone further than previous South Korean conservative governments. Since taking office in May, the Yun administration has moved to strengthen Seoul’s military alliance with the United States and strengthen its own ability to counter North Korea’s nuclear threats, including a pre-emptive strike capability. “Talking about military action against our nation, which has absolutely the most feared weapons, is absurd and a very dangerous suicidal act,” Kim said. “Such a dangerous attempt will be immediately punished by our powerful force, and Yoon Suk Yeol’s government and his army will be annihilated.” South Korea expressed “deep regret” over Kim’s threat and said it remains ready to deal with any challenge from North Korea in a “strong, effective manner”. In a statement read by spokesman Kang In-sun, Yoon’s presidential national security office said South Korea will protect its national security and the safety of citizens based on a firm alliance with the United States. He urged North Korea to return to talks to take steps toward denuclearization. Story continues below ad
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Earlier on Thursday, South Korea’s defense ministry reiterated its earlier position that it is strengthening its military capability and joint defense posture with the United States to counter North Korea’s escalating nuclear threats. Trending Stories
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In April, Kim said North Korea could use preemptive nuclear weapons if threatened, saying they will “never be limited to the single mission of war deterrence.” Kim’s military has also test-fired nuclear-capable missiles that put both the US mainland and South Korea within striking distance. US and South Korean officials have repeatedly said in recent months that North Korea is ready to conduct its first nuclear test in five years. Kim is seeking greater public support as his country’s economy has been hit by pandemic-related border closures, US-led sanctions and his own mismanagement. In May, North Korea also admitted to its first outbreak of COVID-19, although the scale of the illness and death is widely disputed in a country that lacks the modern medical capacity to deal with it. “Kim’s rhetoric inflates external threats to justify his militarily focused and economically struggling regime,” said Leif-Erik Esli, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs violate international law, but Kim is trying to portray his destabilizing weapons buildup as a righteous effort in self-defense.” Story continues below ad Experts say North Korea is likely to step up its threats against the US and South Korea as the allies prepare to expand summer drills. In recent years, the militaries of South Korea and the US have canceled or scaled back some of their regular exercises due to concerns about COVID-19 and to support deadlocked US-led diplomacy aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear program in exchange for economic and political benefits. During Wednesday’s speech, Kim said his government has recently set out to improve its military capability more quickly to respond to military pressure campaigns from its enemies, suggesting he intends to move ahead with an expected nuclear test. But Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said North Korea would likely not conduct its nuclear test before China, its main ally and biggest aid benefactor, holds its Communist Party congress in the fall. He said China was concerned that a North Korean nuclear test could give the United States an excuse to strengthen security partnerships with allies that it could use to check Chinese influence in the region.
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North Korea recently said it is moving to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak amid a sharp drop in fever cases, but experts say it is unclear whether the country can lift its strict restrictions soon because it could face a resurgence of the virus later this year. During Wednesday’s event, Kim, the veterans and others did not wear masks, state media photos showed. On Thursday, North Korea reported 11 cases of the fever, a huge drop from a peak of about 400,000 a day in May. Story continues below ad North Korea rejected US and South Korean offers of medical aid. He also said he would not return to talks with the United States unless it first abandons its hostile policy towards the North, in an apparent reference to US-led sanctions and US-South Korean military exercises. 1:59 USA Authorities Concerned North Korea Could Conduct Nuclear Test During Biden’s Asia Trip Previous Video Next Video © 2022 The Canadian Press
