Kim Jong Un, issued a stern warning, stating that Pyongyang would not hesitate to retaliate with a nuclear strike if provoked with nuclear weapons. This statement was reported by the state media on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Seoul and its allies are advocating for a different approach. They are calling for open dialogue without any preconditions.
The remarks made by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un come in the wake of a significant meeting that took place last week. This meeting, held in Washington, was between representatives of South Korea and the United States. The primary focus of their discussion was on the topic of nuclear deterrence, specifically in the context of a potential conflict with North Korea.
North Korea's Kim warns of 'nuclear attack' when enemy provokes it with nukes -KCNA #NorthKorea | #Nuclear | #Threats https://t.co/tAq88MjRf1
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) December 20, 2023
The recent meeting between South Korea and the United States had a significant agenda that revolved around “nuclear and strategic planning”. This indicates the gravity of the situation and the level of concern regarding the potential nuclear threat from North Korea.
In the course of the meeting, the allies – South Korea and the United States – made a strong and unequivocal statement. They asserted that any nuclear attack initiated by Pyongyang against either the United States or South Korea would have severe consequences. Specifically, they warned that such an action would lead to the termination of the North Korean regime.
According to a recent report from Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong-un, issued a stern directive to his military’s missile bureau. He emphasized that in the event of a nuclear provocation from an enemy, they should not hesitate to respond in kind with a nuclear attack.
Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo collectively issued a public statement. They appealed to the nuclear-armed nation, presumably North Korea, to cease any further provocative actions that could escalate tensions in the region. The tripartite statement underscored the urgent need for the country to engage in meaningful dialogue without setting any preconditions.
This collaborative effort is a strategic response to the escalating situation in the region. On Tuesday, they took a significant step forward by activating a sophisticated system designed to share real-time data on missile launches from North Korea.
The North on Monday launched its most powerful ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, later describing it as “a warning counter-measure” against what it described as persistent acts of “military threat” by Washington and its allies.
A nuclear-powered submarine from the United States last week made its way to the port city of Busan in South Korea. This move is seen as a strategic positioning of assets amidst the escalating tensions in the region.
On Wednesday, Washington demonstrated its military prowess by conducting drills involving its long-range bombers. These exercises were not solitary; they were carried out in collaboration with Seoul and Tokyo.
The North has recently stressed that the “Korean peninsula is in a state of war by law” and that “strategic assets” deployed by Washington in the South “are the first targets of destruction”.
ALSO READ | China’s earthquake: A Race Against Time in Search of the Missing