NORTH KOREA SAYS IT COULD DESTROY SOUTH KOREA IF PROVOKED, KEEPS DOOR OPEN TO US TALKS. (PHOTO).

 North Korea says it could destroy South Korea if provoked, keeps door open to US talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country could “completely destroy” South Korea if it believed its security was under threat, doubling down on his refusal to engage with Seoul while signaling that dialogue with Washington remains possible. Speaking at the conclusion of a weeklong Workers’ Party congress in Pyongyang, Kim declared that North Korea’s rapid advances in nuclear and missile development have permanently secured its status as a nuclear weapons state. He insisted there is “absolutely nothing to discuss” with South Korea, which he described as an enemy, but said relations with the United States could improve if Washington abandons what he calls its “hostile policy” toward the North.

The congress, North Korea’s most significant political gathering, brought together thousands of delegates in a carefully staged event, reinforcing Kim’s authority and outlining policy goals for the next five years. It concluded with a nighttime military parade in Kim Il Sung Square, where Kim appeared prominently alongside his teenage daughter, widely believed to be named Kim Ju Ae. The pair stood together in matching dark coats, observing marching units and aircraft flyovers as senior officials saluted. Notably absent from the parade were some of North Korea’s largest intercontinental ballistic missiles, a move that drew attention amid speculation that Kim may be avoiding steps that could further inflame tensions with Washington.

During his address, Kim called for the continued expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, including faster production of nuclear warheads and a broader array of delivery systems. He outlined plans for developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of being launched from underwater platforms, suggesting ambitions to arm a nuclear-powered submarine currently under development. He also ordered an increase in tactical nuclear weapons such as artillery systems and short-range missiles aimed at South Korea, along with advancements in artificial intelligence-powered attack drones, electronic warfare systems, reconnaissance satellites and capabilities to strike enemy satellites. Kim emphasized strengthening border defenses and expanding annual deployments of nuclear-capable artillery directed at the South.

Kim’s rhetoric toward Seoul has hardened sharply since 2024, when he abandoned the long-standing goal of peaceful reunification and formally labeled South Korea a permanent adversary. At the congress, he dismissed outreach efforts by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as deceptive and accused successive governments in Seoul of harboring ambitions to undermine or collapse the North. He said the South’s only path to safety is to sever ties and refrain from provoking Pyongyang. At the same time, Kim suggested the future of relations with the United States depends entirely on Washington’s posture, stating that North Korea is prepared for either peaceful coexistence or prolonged confrontation.

While North Korea has strengthened ties with Russia — including providing troops and military equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine — Kim appears to be keeping diplomatic options open should geopolitical circumstances shift. Previous talks with the United States stalled in 2019 after the collapse of Kim’s second summit with President Donald Trump during his first term. Since then, Pyongyang has repeatedly rejected calls to resume negotiations conditioned on denuclearization. Kim’s latest remarks underscore a strategy of pairing aggressive weapons development and uncompromising language toward Seoul with a conditional openness to dialogue with Washington, positioning his country as both a hardened nuclear power and a potential negotiating partner.