Mr. Kim Jong-un attended the 9th Central Committee Plenum of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. The conference just ended on December 30 (Photo: KCNA).
"We should not make the mistake again of regarding them as partners for reconciliation and unification, as South Korea has declared us its main enemy," KCNA quoted Mr. Kim as saying on December 31.
Mr. Kim made the above statement at the 9th Central Conference of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, which ended on December 30.
"The relationship between South Korea and North Korea is no longer that between people of the same country," Kim said, adding that the relationship between the two sides has become that between countries at war with each other.
North and South Korea are technically still at war with each other because the 1950-1953 conflict ended only with an armistice.
The North Korean leader asserted that the current situation requires his government to redefine its stance on unification policy.
"This is the first time a North Korean leader has publicly stated that unification will not be possible," Park Young Ho, a North Korea expert and former researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told SCMP .
North Korea observers said Mr Kim's statement contained a veiled threat to Seoul.
"The obvious reality is that war could break out on the Korean peninsula at any moment," Mr. Kim said.
From there, he affirmed that Pyongyang's military must prepare to "pacify the entire South Korean territory" and use nuclear weapons if necessary in case of attack.
Washington denies Pyongyang's accusation that it and its allies are preparing to attack North Korea.
Besides expanding its nuclear arsenal and building military drones, North Korea considers launching three more reconnaissance satellites one of its most important tasks in 2024.
The United States and its allies South Korea, Japan and Australia have imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its successful launch of a spy satellite in November.
They accused Pyongyang of using technology related to its intercontinental ballistic missile program, which is banned under United Nations resolutions.
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