Kim Jong Un threatens unconditional force against South Korea amid growing tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a stark warning, stating that his regime will “unhesitatingly” use force against South Korea if its sovereignty is violated.

Speaking during a visit to the 2nd Corps of the Korean People’s Army, Kim emphasized that North Korea will no longer adhere to conditions before retaliating. “Its physical forces will be used unhesitatingly, without sticking to conditions any longer,” he said, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

This announcement comes on the heels of North Korea’s demolition of key infrastructure along the inter-Korean border, signaling a significant shift in Pyongyang’s stance toward Seoul. Kim’s remarks suggest the end of the long-standing “special relationship” with South Korea, characterizing it now as a “foreign country” and “hostile nation,” further deepening tensions on the peninsula.

Kim justified the recent destruction of roads and railways leading to the South, describing the move as the “physical closure” of ties with Seoul, and the “complete removal of the useless awareness about fellow countrymen and unreasonable idea of reunification.”

While analysts view the explosive work near the Demilitarized Zone as symbolic, North Korea’s rhetoric suggests the nation is preparing for more serious military action. Photographs from KCNA showed Kim examining military action plans, with a blurred map highlighting the Demilitarized Zone and Seoul.

In addition to escalating threats, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused South Korea of violating North Korean sovereignty following an alleged drone incursion. The North has placed artillery units on alert in response, demanding an investigation from Seoul, which the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff have rejected.

Also Read:Biden administration cancels student debt for 60,000 public service workers

On the same day, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an emergency national security meeting, addressing concerns over North Korea’s alleged military support to Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed 10,000 North Korean soldiers are training to assist Russian forces, though South Korean officials remain cautious, suggesting the North may have only sent technical personnel.

As tensions mount, international concern grows over the increasingly close military ties between North Korea and Russia. The U.S. has expressed “great concerns” but has not yet confirmed the extent of North Korean involvement in the conflict.

This latest exchange of threats between Pyongyang and Seoul raises alarm about the future stability of the Korean peninsula, with both sides signaling heightened readiness for potential conflict.