Kim Jong Un rattles his sabre … but pledges to work for peace and stability in Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was ready for war if provoked but he stayed away from past threats involving his country’s nuclear weapon ambitions. His comments in his annual new year’s speech on Friday stuck to well-worn propaganda meant to lift his image for the elite residents of one of the world’s poorest, most closed countries. Kim, who wore thick black-rimmed glasses that continued his efforts to mimic the style favored by his late grandfather, beloved national founder Kim Il Sung, said he would continue to work for peace in the Korean peninsula. But he added: “If invasive outsiders and provocateurs touch us even slightly, we will not be forgiving in the least and sternly answer with a merciless, holy war of justice.”

We will continue to work patiently to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula and regional stability

Kim Jong Un

Kim said he was open to talks with anyone truly interested in “reconciliation and peace” on the Korean peninsula, and ready to aggressively work to improve ties with the South. But a far larger part of his speech on North Korea’s state TV was devoted to criticism of Seoul’s approach to inter-Korean talks and its alliance with Washington. He vowed to improve North Korea’s struggling economy and living standards and called for the military to advance its technologies to develop more “diversified attack means”.

South Korea has made a unilateral case for unification and increased mistrust and conflict between us

Kim Jong Un

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