Kim Jong Un Threatens Nuclear Strike and Rejects Dialogue with South Korea

North Korea has once again reminded the world of its nuclear arsenal—loudly, demonstratively, and with calculation. Leader Kim Jong Un delivered a series of tough statements, promising the immediate destruction of South Korean military facilities and those of its allies if Pyongyang’s deterrence systems are put at risk. This is not just routine rhetoric: his words come amid reports of new weapons development and growing pressure from the United States and its partners.

Kim Jong Un made it clear that his country will never give up its nuclear weapons. On the contrary, he stressed that they guarantee the nation’s survival and protect it from “foreign forces.” In this context, he emphasized that talks with Washington are only possible under one condition—the U.S. must abandon its demand for complete denuclearization. This move effectively rewrites the rules of diplomacy: North Korea wants the world to recognize its nuclear status as an irreversible fact.

Particular attention was drawn to Kim’s rhetoric toward Seoul. He categorically rejected the idea of negotiations or reunification with South Korea, calling it an “Americanized entity,” dependent and alien to Pyongyang. According to him, a change of leadership in Seoul does not alter the country’s fundamental hostility toward the North. This statement leaves no room for inter-Korean dialogue and underscores that Pyongyang is deliberately focusing only on direct dealings with Washington.

Interestingly, in the same speech, Kim Jong Un unexpectedly recalled Donald Trump with “good memories.” This detail signals that the North Korean leader favors personal forms of diplomacy and may hope to return to a time when politics hinged on direct meetings and one-on-one negotiations. Yet this does not imply concessions. Instead, Pyongyang is signaling its desire to dictate the terms and impose its preferred format of communication.

For the international community, Kim’s words are an alarming signal. The United States and its allies continue to insist on denuclearization, but now they face an even tougher stance than before. South Korea finds itself in an especially precarious position: on one hand, it must strengthen its military alliances with Washington and Tokyo, while on the other, it risks becoming the first target if tensions boil over into open conflict.

In reality, North Korea is attempting to reshape the balance of power. The threat of nuclear weapons is not only a warning to its neighbors but also a global message: Pyongyang wants its nuclear program to be acknowledged as permanent. Yet this is precisely what could spark a new arms race in the region and increase the risk of accidental escalation.

Every new step by North Korea highlights a dangerous reality: the peninsula is once again teetering on the edge, where diplomacy and the threat of war are entwined in a volatile knot. The world has heard Kim Jong Un’s signal—the question is whether the response will come in the form of greater pressure, harsher deterrence, or a renewed attempt to find a path that prevents the region from sliding into catastrophe.