State media reported on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told military leaders that the strongest means must be mobilized to destroy the United States and South Korea if they choose military confrontation. Kim stated that the risk of military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula is rapidly increasing due to the hostile maneuvers by enemies, including the United States, necessitating the country to prepare well and sharpen its strength to protect itself. The Korean Central News Agency quoted Kim saying, "If the enemy chooses military confrontation, our army must deliver a fatal blow to completely eliminate it by mobilizing all strong means and capabilities without a moment's hesitation."
The agency added that Kim hosted senior military leaders yesterday at the ruling Workers' Party headquarters to congratulate them on the achievements made in 2023. North Korea tested its largest ballistic missiles last year and launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, which Kim described as a significant advancement in modernizing the military. The call to raise the country's military readiness follows a pledge made at the conclusion of a five-day meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, which ended on Saturday, to bolster the country's nuclear arsenal, produce military drones, and launch three new reconnaissance satellites in 2024.
Kim's remarks came after the United States intensified its drills with South Korea last year and deployed additional strategic military assets, including a nuclear missile submarine, aircraft carriers, and large bombers. In Seoul, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged today to expedite the completion of the missile defense system and a system utilizing extended U.S. deterrence "to fundamentally deter any nuclear and missile threats from North Korea."
