IRIA News

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to use nuclear weapons against South Korea if the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the U.S. provoked North Korea. Kim stressed that his country would use all available forces without any hesitation to strike the ROK.

Kim Jong Un warned that it would be “a foolish thing” to provoke North Korea, a nuclear weapons state. He said, “If such [a] situation is created, the permanent existence of Seoul and the Republic of Korea would be impossible.”

The North Korean leader made these remarks during an official visit to the training base of the special operation units of the Korean People’s Army in the western area of the DPRK.

North Korea’s state-run news agency, KCNA reported on October 4 that Kim inspected the drills of North Korean soldiers and observed the “intensive training” of the combatants of several special operation brigades.

Kim Jong Un was accompanied by North Korea’s Chief of the KPA General Staff Ri Yong Gil, Deputy Chief of the KPA General Staff Kim Yong Bok, and Deputy chief of the General Staff and Director of the General Reconnaissance Bureau of the KPA, Ri Chang Ho. 

“The drills were aimed at judging the combat readiness of the combatants and perfectly preparing them spiritually, physically, tactically and technically so that they can reliably and successfully carry out their special operation tasks under any combat situation,” the statement read.

The North Korean leader praised the Korean People’s Army special operation forces and stressed that the unit is “now the pivotal and core force in the Republic’s war deterrent and capability for fighting a war.”

He also emphasized the importance of further development of the DPRK armed forces by expanding and strengthening the special operation forces into the strongest combat forces and detailed new policies related to the orientation of the building of the special operation forces. 

Kim Jong Un highlighted North Korea’s growing military capabilities and nuclear weapons development and said, “The enemy’s threatening rhetoric, actions, tricks, and attempts have failed to check the growth of our powerful military strength and will never deprive us of our nuclear weapons. We have secured an irreversibly absolute strength as a nuclear power and the system and functions for using it by overcoming the challenges for a long time.”

Kim’s remarks were made in response to South Korea’s show of defense capabilities during a recent military parade, on October 1. South Korea showcased its ballistic missile capable of carrying a massive warhead during the annual Armed Forces Day military parade. The parade also included a flypast by a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in his speech warned North Korea against using nuclear weapons and said that South Korea and its close ally the United States will retaliate with a “resolute” and “overwhelming” response. “That day will see the end of the North Korean regime,” he warned.

North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons

Last week, KCNA also released a statement calling South Korea and its G7 allies “war criminals” and highlighting that the G7 nations possess the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal but they seek to “deprive the DPRK of its inalienable right to arming itself with self-defensive nuclear means”.

“The U.S. and Japan have frantically staged various war drills aimed at the use of nuclear weapons against the DPRK on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity, operating their triangular military alliance with the ROK in full swing… the member states of G7 have joined one after another in the racket for stifling the DPRK… [and] destroying peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region,” it added.

The KCNA statement emphasized that North Korea’s enemies must know that the “DPRK will never give up its nuclear weapons in any case”. The statement added, “Any attempt against our nuclear weapons can never work” and the people of the DPRK will “defend their constitution” at all costs. It also warned the G7 nations that they would “pay dearly for violating the national law of the DPRK”.