Kim Jong Un Threatens Nuclear Response Amid Rising Korea Tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has delivered a stern warning, threatening the use of nuclear weapons if South Korea or its allies infringe upon North Korea’s sovereignty, as reported by state media on Friday.

Kim’s warning came in response to remarks made by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who cautioned that any nuclear aggression from North Korea would lead to the regime’s collapse due to an “overwhelming” retaliatory response from the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Earlier this week, during South Korea’s Armed Forces Day, President Yoon showcased the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, designed to strike targets in the North. He stressed that any attack from North Korea would face a swift and decisive response, highlighting the robust U.S.-South Korea military cooperation.

In a sharp retort, Kim Jong Un mocked Yoon, calling him “abnormal” and dismissed South Korea’s conventional weapons as inferior to North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Kim reaffirmed that North Korea would deploy “all offensive forces, including nuclear weapons,” if provoked by its southern neighbor.

This exchange of threats occurs against a backdrop of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea continues its missile testing while South Korea conducts joint military exercises with U.S. forces. Recently, North Korea unveiled its nuclear facilities and is reportedly expanding its military capacity, sparking further concerns in the region.

There is speculation that North Korea’s parliament will soon formalize the division of the Korean Peninsula into a two-state system, signaling a permanent split and rejecting reconciliation with the South.

With diplomatic ties between the two Koreas frozen since 2019, following the breakdown of U.S.-North Korea talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear program, the situation remains highly volatile. Despite Kim’s aggressive rhetoric, experts believe North Korea is unlikely to initiate a nuclear strike, given the overwhelming military power of the U.S.-South Korea alliance.