North Korea won't hesitate using nuclear weapons if sovereignty threatened by 'enemy' South Korea: Kim Jong Un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned that his country would not hesitate to use all available offensive forces, including nuclear weapons , if South Korea were to threaten its sovereignty. This statement was reported by the state news agency KCNA on Friday, following a military event where South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol asserted that any nuclear aggression from the North would lead to the end of Kim's regime.

During a visit to a special operations training base, Kim condemned Yoon's comments, claiming they demonstrated which side was undermining regional security and peace. He described Yoon as “an abnormal man” for boasting about military capabilities at the doorstep of a nuclear-armed state, calling it ironic and foolish.

KCNA reported Kim as saying, “If the enemy, seized with extreme foolishness and recklessness, attempts to use armed forces encroaching upon the sovereignty of the DPRK, the DPRK would use without hesitation all the offensive forces it possesses, including nuclear weapons.”

This exchange of threats comes amid escalating tensions between the two Koreas. Recently, North Korea revealed a new nuclear facility and continued its missile testing programme, while South Korea celebrated Armed Forces Day with a military parade showcasing a powerful ballistic missile capable of carrying a large warhead, alongside a flypast of a US bomber.

In his speech, President Yoon warned that any attempt by Pyongyang to utilise nuclear arms would result in a “resolute, overwhelming response” from South Korea and its US allies, asserting that such actions would lead to the downfall of the North Korean regime.

Kim dismissed these threats, asserting that they would not deter North Korea’s military strength or its commitment to maintaining its nuclear arsenal. He emphasised that the North has sufficient fissile materials to develop numerous nuclear weapons and has conducted six underground nuclear tests.

The current atmosphere of animosity has been exacerbated by ongoing military exercises between South Korea and the US, alongside a series of provocative missile tests from the North. Communication channels between the Koreas have been effectively frozen since 2019, following the collapse of diplomatic efforts aimed at denuclearising North Korea.