North Korea threatens "total destruction" on Korean War armistice anniversary
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On the 71st anniversary of the Korean War armistice, North Korea has issued a stark warning, pledging to "totally destroy" its adversaries if leader Kim Jong Un commands it, as reported by state media outlet KCNA.
During a meeting attended by Kim Jong Un, senior military officials, including Army Colonel Ri Un Ryong and Navy Lieutenant Commander Yu Kyong Song, expressed "surging hatred" towards the United States and South Korea. They accused the two countries of being "hell-bent on provoking a nuclear war," and vowed to enhance North Korea's war capabilities to launch an "overwhelming attack on the enemy anytime and without delay" upon Kim's orders.
The armistice agreement that paused the Korean War was signed on July 27, 1953, between North Korea, the United States, and China. This agreement ended three years of conflict but did not establish a formal peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically still at war. The U.S. generals signed the armistice on behalf of United Nations forces supporting South Korea.
North Korea refers to this day as "Victory Day," in stark contrast to South Korea, which does not observe it with significant events.
Diplomatic relations between North Korea and the United States remain frozen, with no active talks on denuclearization since 2019. North Korean state media has expressed skepticism about any changes in this dynamic, regardless of future U.S. presidential elections.
