North Korean leader Kim Jong Warns It Could Destroy South if Threatened

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed his nuclear-armed country could "completely destroy" South Korea if its security were threatened, reiterating his refusal to engage with Seoul, state media said Thursday.

However, he left the door open to dialogue with Washington as he concluded a ruling party congress outlining his policy goals for the next five years. Kim in recent years has sharpened his rhetoric toward Seoul and underscored his rejection of inter-Korean diplomacy.

Experts say that most likely



doesn't presage military clashes, but is intended to advance a broader effort to assert a more forceful regional role backed by Kim's nuclear arsenal and ties with Moscow and Beijing. 

The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim also called for developing new weapons systems to bolster his nuclear-armed military, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could be launched from underwater and an expanded arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons, such as artillery and short-range missiles, targeting South Korea.