North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un announced in a speech on Wednesday, July 27, that his communist government is "fully ready" to use its nuclear weapons if necessary against the U.S. and its allies.
"I once again make it clear that North Korea is fully ready for any military confrontation with the United States," Kim said. (Related: North Korea ready to nuke America ... "world should be ready" warns high-level defector who confirms nuke launch plans with NBC News.)
Kim confirmed that his country's relationship with the U.S. is at a "limiting point, a point of fierce collision, which cannot be reversed any further." He also vowed to "confront the U.S. imperialists to the end."
In the same speech given to mark the anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire that ended the intense fighting in 1953, Kim also warned the "military ruffians" and "gangsters" of South Korea that they would "pay dearly" if they maintain ties with the U.S. and continue to threaten North Korea.
"Our armed forces are now fully prepared to cope with any sort of crisis, and our state’s nuclear war deterrent is also fully ready to demonstrate its absolute power accurately and promptly true to its mission," Kim said in his speech based on the English-language translation by the communist regime's official news service Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The North Korean leader was speaking to Korean War veterans in an attempt to strengthen national unity amidst economic struggles related to a coronavirus outbreak and U.S. sanctions.
Kim accused the U.S. of "double standards" and "gangster-like" activity over its joint military drills with South Korea while denouncing North Korea for its missile tests. He also accused the U.S. of "demonizing" North Korea to legitimize its own antagonistic policies.
"The duplex act of the United States, which is misleading all the routine actions of our armed forces as 'provocation' and 'threat' while holding large-scale joint military exercises that seriously threaten our security, is literally a robbery. That is driving bilateral relations to the point where it is difficult to turn back, into a state of conflict," Kim said.
The dictator also criticized newly elected South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol Yoon, who has taken a very strict position against North Korea and formed a strong military alliance with the United States. According to Kim, Yoon is being directed by "confrontation maniacs" and "gangsters" from the United States.
"Talking about military action against our nation, which possesses absolute weapons that they fear the most, is preposterous and is very dangerous suicidal action. Such a dangerous attempt will be immediately punished by our powerful strength and the Yoon Suk Yeol government and his military will be annihilated," Kim warned.
Yoon has sought to boost South Korea's preemptive strike capabilities to counteract nuclear threats from North Korea.
"We once again urge North Korea to take the path of dialogue to achieve substantive denuclearization and peace," Yoon's office stated in response to Kim's remarks, while saying that South Korea is competent in defending itself.
North Korea ready to conduct first nuclear test since 2017
Kim's speech came after officials in Seoul and Washington revealed that North Korea had finished preparations to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017.
South Korea's foreign minister announced on Wednesday that North Korea is expected to face tougher sanctions along with measures aimed at containing its cyberattack capabilities if it moves forward with the test.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said the speech could be seen as an attempt to "bolster national pride" in the face of South Korea's successful post-ceasefire development.
"Kim's rhetoric inflates external threats to justify his militarily focused and economically struggling regime. North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are in violation of international law, but Kim tries to depict his destabilizing arms buildup as a righteous effort at self-defense," Easley said in an email.
North Korea has already conducted some weapons tests this year. In January, it tested a hypersonic missile and later launched a banned intercontinental ballistic missile – including missiles that it said could carry tactical nuclear warheads.
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