North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, in a speech to the country's parliament, stated, "We do not want war, but we have no intention of avoiding it." These remarks represent a significant escalation in the dictator's rhetoric, threatening to "destroy" neighboring South Korea and the 30,000 American soldiers stationed on the peninsula.
"In the event of war on the Korean peninsula, I believe it is also important to consider the question of completely occupying, suppressing, and reclaiming South Korea and incorporating it into our republic's territory," said Kim Jong-Un, according to The Guardian, citing the North Korean state news agency KCNA.
Claims: "Decision Made for War"
Kim Jong-Un's threats against South Korea and the USA have almost become a routine over the years. However, this is something entirely different from the usual warnings issued by North Korea, assert former U.S. State Department official Robert Carlin and nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker.
The situation is "more dangerous than it has been at any time since the beginning of June 1950," just before the Korean War, the experts claim. "It may sound exaggerated, but we believe that Kim Jong-Un, like his grandfather, has made a strategic decision to start a war," Carlin and Hecker emphasize in a report.
"We do not know when or how Kim plans to pull the trigger, but the danger is already far beyond the routine warnings in Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo about Pyongyang's 'provocations.'"
"Enemy Number One"
Kim has also declared that the North Korean constitution will be amended to include a clause stating that South Korea is the “enemy state number one.” This is seen as an end to the regime's commitment to "unify" the Korean peninsula, and the speech marks a departure from decades of official policy that pointed to reconciliation as the ultimate goal, writes The Guardian.
"The two most hostile states, which are at war, are now in acute confrontation on the Korean peninsula," the decision made by the North Korean politicians highlights.
Evacuated After Attack
Less than two weeks ago, South Korea was forced to evacuate an island after North Korea fired 200 artillery shells in an "exercise." Residents left their homes and sought shelter in bunkers.
"There will be the greatest risk of clashes this year," KCNA has previously expressed.
