North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned that his nuclear-armed country could 'completely destroy' South Korea if its security were threatened, state media reported on Thursday. Speaking at the conclusion of a ruling party congress, Kim reiterated his refusal to engage with Seoul but signalled a possible willingness to resume dialogue with Washington.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim called for the development of new weapons systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could be launched from underwater and an expanded arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons targeting the South. He stated that the accelerated nuclear programme had 'permanently cemented' North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state.
Kim outlined conditions for resuming talks with the United States, urging Washington to abandon what he described as 'hostile' policies. 'Whether it's peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make,' he said, according to KCNA.
The Workers' Party congress, held in Pyongyang for the first time since 2021, also featured a military parade on Wednesday. Kim declared that his forces were capable of 'immediately and thoroughly retaliating' against any hostile threat, though it remains unclear whether the parade showcased the country's largest intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Kim has taken an increasingly hard-line stance toward South Korea since discarding the goal of peaceful reunification in 2024. He accused the liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung of deception and insisted there is 'absolutely nothing to discuss' with Seoul, which he now regards as a permanent enemy.
Analysts suggest that Kim's overture to the US reflects a desire to keep diplomatic options open, particularly as the war in Ukraine—which has seen North Korea support Russia with troops and equipment—may eventually devalue Pyongyang's strategic importance to Moscow. The 2019 breakdown of talks between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump has left dialogue stalled, with North Korea demanding sanctions relief and recognition as a nuclear state.
