North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has intensified his rhetoric against the United States and South Korea, commanding his military to “thoroughly annihilate” them if they provoke a military confrontation. This stark warning was issued during a meeting with North Korea’s top military commanders in Pyongyang on New Year’s Eve, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim’s aggressive stance comes amidst heightened military and political cooperation between Seoul and Washington, including a series of weapon tests by Pyongyang. In 2023, North Korea notably conducted tests of a new solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and launched its first spy satellite into orbit. Kim has indicated plans to further expand North Korea’s weapons arsenal and launch additional military satellites in 2024.
This photo provided on Nov. 19, 2022, by the North Korean government shows the test-firing of a missile at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. North Korea’s state media said its leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of the Hwasong-17 missile, a day after its neighbors said they had detected the launch of an ICBM potentially capable of reaching the continental U.S. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
This escalation in rhetoric is seen against the backdrop of increased military drills by the United States with South Korea, including the deployment of strategic military assets like nuclear missile submarines, aircraft carriers, and large bombers. These developments are occurring ahead of significant elections in both South Korea and the United States, which North Korea may view as an opportunity to bolster its leverage through heightened military pressure.
In response, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has pledged to accelerate efforts to complete a missile defense system and a strategy involving U.S. extended deterrence, aiming to fundamentally deter any North Korean nuclear and missile threat. Extended deterrence refers to the use of U.S. military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to deter and respond to attacks against allies.
U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is escorted as it arrives in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (Kang Duck-chul/Yonhap via AP) (Kang Duck-chul / Associated Press)
Additionally, Kim Jong Un has laid out economic goals for North Korea, calling 2024 a “decisive year” to accomplish the country’s five-year development plan. This includes initiatives in key industrial sectors and efforts to stabilize agricultural production, amid ongoing food shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
