Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, has announced that South Korea is now officially Pyongyang’s “principal enemy” and openly stated his readiness for war. Foreign ministers from 48 countries have issued a joint statement condemning the threat posed by North Korea, extending well beyond the Korean peninsula.
Referring to South Korea’s formal name, Kim proclaimed, “The ROK scums are our principal enemy,” as cited by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency Wednesday. He also warned that while they will not unilaterally decide on a major upheaval in the Korean peninsula through overwhelming force, they have no intention of avoiding war.
During his two-day inspection of a military factory, the North Korean leader reaffirmed his commitment to the ongoing development of nuclear capabilities and emphasized the need to enhance their self-defensive national defense capabilities and reinforce their nuclear deterrence against war.
Kim also called the South’s Yoon Suk Yeol administration a “self-destructive” and “gangster regime,” and warned that they will not hesitate to completely devastate the ROK if threatened.
As tensions escalate, foreign ministers from 48 countries issued a joint statement expressing their growing concern that the threat from Pyongyang has extended beyond the peninsula. The statement also condemned Russia’s use of Pyongyang-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukraine and urged all UN Member States to join in condemning the violations.
Edited by Elaine Chan and Taejun Kang