Kim Jong Un has threatened to inflict “mortal wounds” on the “enemy” in the event of an armed conflict.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the country's main military university and said now is the time to prepare more than ever for war, state media reported.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday that he made the remarks on the same day as rival South Korea's parliamentary elections on Wednesday, in which the ruling party suffered a crushing defeat.
Speaking at the Kim Jong Il Military and Political University, the North Korean leader cited the surrounding “uncertain and unstable military and political situation” and said, “Now is the time to be more thoroughly prepared for war than ever before.” Stated.
In recent months, North Korea has increasingly accused South Korea and its ally the United States of conducting “war exercises” and provoking military tensions by conducting increasingly intense and scaled military exercises.
In March, Kim also ordered increased war preparations after inspecting troops at major military operating bases in the country's west.
He added that North Korea should “make better and more complete preparations not only for a possible war, but also for a war that must be won.”
Since the election of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol in 2022, tensions between the two Koreas have intensified, with North Korea declaring South Korea as its “main enemy.”
In response to Yun's hard-line stance on North Korea, Kim ordered the abolition of institutions specializing in unification and support operations, and threatened war over even 0.001mm of territorial violations.
'Death blow'
If provoked, Kim said, North Korea “will mobilize all the means in its possession to deal a fatal blow to the enemy without hesitation.”
Partially blurred images published by state media showed him surrounded by military personnel inspecting what appeared to be a miniature of South Korea's capital Seoul, including the Han River, and a map of the peninsula. .
South Korea's Yun has taken a tough stance against nuclear-armed North Korea while improving relations with the United States.
Under Chairman Kim, North Korea has stepped up its weapons development and is deepening its military and political ties with Russia. He is also suspected of supporting Ukraine's war with Russia.
In March, Russia used its veto at the UN Security Council, effectively ending UN experts' oversight of North Korea's sanctions violations.
Earlier this month, Kim oversaw the test launch of a new solid-fueled hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile, which analysts say gives North Korea the ability to deploy the missile more effectively than its liquid-fueled counterpart. He said it would be strengthened.
