Thinly veiled threats. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his country is “ready to deploy” its nuclear deterrent in the event of a future military confrontation with the United States and South Korea, state media reported on Thursday.
“Our country’s nuclear deterrent is also ready to mobilize its absolute power reliably, precisely and quickly in accordance with its mission,” Kim Jong Un said in a speech on Wednesday, according to the official Korean Central News, Pyongyang Branch.
The exercises multiply
The country’s armed forces are “fully prepared” to “face any military confrontation with the United States,” he added, addressing veterans of the 1950-1953 Korean War on the occasion of “Victory Day” celebrations marking the armistice
In June, the United States and South Korea threatened a “swift” response with more sanctions and even a review of the US “military posture” in the event of a new North Korean nuclear test.
This week, the US military conducted live-fire exercises in South Korea with Apache attack helicopters for the first time since 2019.
remote threats
Kim Jong Un also criticized South Korea’s new conservative president, Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May and vowed to be tougher on his northern neighbor.
“Talking about military actions against our nation, which has the absolute weapons they fear the most, is absurd and is a very dangerous self-destructive action,” Kim Jong Un said of Yoon’s government, which he called a “group.” gangsters.” “Such a dangerous attempt would be immediately punished by our powerful force, and Yoon Suk Yeol’s government and his army would be annihilated,” he threatened.
“Kim’s rhetoric exaggerates external threats to justify his regime focused on military spending in a struggling economy,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
“North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs violate international law, but Kim is trying to present his destabilizing weapons development as a just self-defense effort,” it added.
Source: BFM TV
