Kim Jong Un Says ICBM Launch Signals North Korea's Nuclear Readiness If 'Enemy Provoke It With Nukes'

As per recent reports, Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, has declared that the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch is a testament to their readiness to initiate a nuclear offensive in response to any nuclear provocation.

What Happened: The leader of the isolated nation praised the General Missile Bureau’s Second Red Flag Company for successfully launching the Hwasong-18 ICBM, reported Yonhap News Agency.

Kim insisted that the launch was “a clear explanation of the offensive counteraction mode and the evolution of the nuclear strategy and doctrine of the DPRK not to hesitate even a nuclear attack when the enemy provoke it with nukes,” according to KCNA.

“It is the genuine defense capability and defense of durable peace to have the real capability for preemptively attacking the enemy anywhere and the war posture, making any enemy feel fear.”

Remarkably, it was the fifth ICBM test this year by North Korea, indicating an unusual frequency of launches. The missile reportedly flew over 1,000 kilometers and could reach any part of the continental United States if it were to be launched on a regular trajectory.

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These developments occur amid escalating efforts by Seoul and Washington to strengthen their nuclear strategy against threats from Pyongyang. However, KCNA has denounced these efforts as a “nuclear war exercise” intending to invade North Korea, cautioning that such activities will be interpreted as an explicit declaration of war.

Why It Matters: On Dec. 17, North Korea launched what was suspected to be a long-range ballistic missile, marking the second missile launch within 12 hours.

Two days later, tensions rose at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, with North Korea and Russia clashing with the U.S., South Korea, and their allies over North Korea’s recent ICBM launch. North Korea’s U.N. Ambassador, Kim Song, dubbed the current situation as "the most dangerous year" for security on the Korean Peninsula. This was attributed to increased U.S.-South Korean military activities and the deployment of nuclear-powered submarines and other nuclear assets by the U.S., escalating the risk of a "nuclear war.”

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