North Korea's Kim threatens to destroy South Korea with nuclear strikes if provoked

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to use nuclear weapons and destroy South Korea permanently if provoked state media reported on Friday after the Souths leader warned that Kims regime would collapse if he attempted to use nuclear armsThe exchange of such rhetoric between the rival Koreas is nothing new but the latest comments come during heightened animosities over the Norths recent disclosure of a nuclear facility and its continuation of missile tests Next week observers say North Koreas rubberstamp parliament is expected to constitutionally declare a hostile twostate system on the Korean Peninsula to formally reject reconciliation with South Korea and codify new national bordersDuring a visit to a special operation forces unit on Wednesday Kim said his military would use without hesitation all the offensive forces it possesses including nuclear weapons if South Korea attempts to use armed forces encroaching upon the sovereignty of North Korea according to the Norths official Korean Central News Agency If such a situation comes the permanent existence of Seoul and the Republic of Korea would be impossible Kim said using South Koreas official nameKims statement was a response to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeols speech at his countrys Armed Forces Day on Tuesday Unveiling South Koreas most powerful Hyunmoo5 ballistic missile and other conventional weapons that could target North Korea Yoon said the day that North Korea tries to use nuclear weapons would be the end of the Kim government because Kim would face the resolute and overwhelming response of the South KoreanUS allianceKim responded that Yoons address fully betrayed his bellicose temerity and showed the security uneasiness and irritating psychology of the puppet forces In a derisive comment Kim called Yoon an abnormal man saying that the puppet Yoon bragged about an overwhelming counteraction of military muscle at the doorstep of a state that possesses nuclear weaponsOn Thursday Kims sister and senior official Kim Yo Jong also ridiculed South Koreas showcasing of the Hyunmoo5 missile saying there is no way for South Korea to counter the North Koreas nuclear forces with conventional weaponsSince adopting an escalatory nuclear doctrine in 2022 Kim has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively But many foreign experts say it is still unlikely that he would use his nuclear arms first because his military is outmatched by the US and its allied forces In July South Korea and the US signed a defence guideline on integrating South Koreas conventional capabilities with the US nuclear forces to better deal with North Koreas advancing nuclear programme South Korea has no nuclear weaponsAnimosities between the Koreas are at the worst point in years with Kims provocative run of missile tests and the South KoreanUS military exercises intensifying in a cycle of titfortat All communication channels and exchange programmes between the rivals remain stalled since 2019 when a broader USNorth Korea diplomacy on ending the Norths nuclear programme collapsedIn January Kim called for rewriting North Koreas constitution to eliminate the idea of a peaceful unification between the wardivided countries and to cement the South as an invariable principal enemy He also reiterated that his country does not recognise the Northern Limit Line a western sea boundary that was drawn by the USled UN Command at the end of the 195053 Korean War He called for the new constitution to include a clear definition of the Norths territories North Korea has traditionally insisted upon a boundary that encroaches deeply into waters currently controlled by South KoreaOn Friday South Koreas military said North Korea was again flying balloons likely carrying trash across the border into South Korea Since late May North Korea has launched thousands of rubbishcarrying balloons toward South Korea prompting South Korea to resume antiPyongyang propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts at border areasThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever