North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made a bold statement, asserting his legal right to annihilate South Korea.
What Happened: Kim made this statement during a visit to the Ministry of Defense to commemorate the founding of the North Korean army, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. He accused the “puppets” of South Korea of rejecting Pyongyang’s cooperation efforts and pursuing the absorption of its neighbor.
Kim declared South Korea as the “primary enemy” and justified that “we have the legality to strike and destroy at any time.”
“Peace is not something that should be begged for or gained in exchange for talks,” Kim said.
This statement comes after North Korea’s parliament abolished laws for economic cooperation with South Korea, further straining the already tense relations between the two countries.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s administration views these actions as an attempt by North Korea to raise its profile ahead of the April parliamentary elections. The conservative People Power Party, which supports a hardline stance towards Pyongyang, is vying to gain control of the parliament from the opposition Democratic Party, which favors reconciliation with North Korea.
Kim’s recent provocations, including missile tests and aggressive rhetoric, have raised concerns about a potential military conflict. Despite international pressure, Kim has shown no signs of returning to nuclear disarmament talks and has continued to develop new weapons capable of striking the U.S. and its allies in Asia.
Why It Matters: This latest development is part of a series of escalations by North Korea. In January also Kim labeled South Korea as the “primary foe” and expressed readiness for potential conflict. This was followed by the disbandment of government bodies responsible for maintaining relations with South Korea, indicating a deterioration of relations between the two Koreas.
More recently, North Korea terminated all agreements with South Korea concerning economic cooperation. This decision, coupled with the latest threat, further underscores the growing tension on the Korean Peninsula.
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