North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country was ready to mobilise its nuclear war deterrent and counter any U.S. military clash, and criticised South Korea's new president for the first time, warning Seoul was pushing towards the brink of war, state media reported on Thursday (July 28).
Kim made the remarks during a speech at an event to mark the 69th anniversary of the July 27 Korean War armistice, which left the two Koreas technically still at war, according to state media.
"Our armed forces are thoroughly prepared to respond to any crisis, and our nation's nuclear war deterrence is also fully ready to mobilise its absolute strength faithfully, accurately and promptly to its mission," he said.
Kim also denounced South Korea's new conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol by name for the first time and labelled attempts to neutralise the North's military as "nonsense".
