North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Orders Military to “Thoroughly Annihilate” U.S. and South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea – In a recent directive, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to “thoroughly annihilate” the United States and South Korea if provoked, as reported by state media on Monday. This comes after Kim vowed to boost national defenses in response to what he called an unprecedented U.S.-led confrontation.
Experts believe that Kim is expected to ramp up weapons tests in 2024, ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. Many analysts suggest that Kim likely believes his expanded nuclear arsenal would allow him to negotiate for U.S. concessions if former President Donald Trump is reelected.
During a major ruling party meeting last week, Kim announced plans to launch three more military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials, and develop attack drones in an attempt to increase his leverage in future diplomacy with the U.S.
In a meeting with commanding army officers on Sunday, Kim stressed the urgency of sharpening “the treasured sword” to safeguard national security, in an apparent reference to the country’s nuclear weapons program. He cited “the U.S. and other hostile forces’ military confrontation moves,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
Kim emphasized that “our army should deal a deadly blow to thoroughly annihilate them by mobilizing all the toughest means and potentialities without a moment’s hesitation” if they opt for military confrontation and provocations against North Korea, as reported by KCNA.
Experts are concerned that small-scale military clashes between North and South Korea could happen this year along their heavily armed border. The experts also anticipate that North Korea will test-launch intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the mainland U.S. and other major new weapons.
The diplomacy between Kim and Trump on North Korea’s expanding nuclear arsenal collapsed after the U.S. rejected Kim’s limited offer to dismantle his main nuclear complex in exchange for extensive reductions in U.S.-led sanctions.
Estimates of the size of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal vary, ranging from about 20-30 bombs to more than 100. Many foreign experts believe that North Korea still has some technological hurdles to overcome to produce functioning nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles, although its shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles can reach South Korea and Japan.