North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has threatened to use nuclear weapons to destroy South Korea permanently if provoked, according to a report by North Korea’s state media on Friday. This warning follows recent remarks from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who said the North would face overwhelming retaliation if it attempted a nuclear attack.
Kim’s threat came after a visit to a special operations unit, where he emphasized that North Korea would not hesitate to deploy its offensive nuclear capabilities should South Korea encroach on its sovereignty. “If such a situation arises, the permanent existence of Seoul and the Republic of Korea would be impossible,” Kim warned, using South Korea’s official name.
This escalatory rhetoric comes during heightened tensions between the two Koreas. North Korea recently unveiled a new nuclear facility and continued its missile tests, while South Korea showcased its latest ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5, during Armed Forces Day. President Yoon declared that any North Korean attempt to use nuclear weapons would lead to the downfall of Kim’s regime, citing the strong South Korea-U.S. military alliance.
Kim dismissed Yoon’s statement as “bellicose temerity,” calling him “an abnormal man” for bragging about conventional military power against a nuclear-armed state. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, also ridiculed South Korea’s military advancements, stating that its conventional weapons are no match for North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
Although Kim has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively, analysts believe it remains unlikely due to the overwhelming superiority of U.S. and allied military forces. In July, South Korea and the U.S. strengthened their defense cooperation to integrate South Korea’s conventional forces with U.S. nuclear capabilities in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.
Relations between the two Koreas are at their lowest point in years, with communication channels cut since 2019, following the collapse of U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations. Kim has also pushed for constitutional changes in North Korea that formally reject the idea of peaceful reunification with the South and assert a new definition of national borders.
On Friday, South Korea reported that North Korea had once again sent balloons carrying trash over the border, a practice it has engaged in since May, escalating tensions further.