Kim Jong Un threatens to use nuclear weapons against U.S., South Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned the United States and South Korea that any attack would be met with a nuclear response, state media reported Tuesday, as tensions remain high on the Peninsula and concerns swirl about a possible provocation ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Kim made the threat in a speech during his visit to Kim Jong Un University of National Defense on Monday, according to Korean Central News Agency.

"If the enemy attempts to use force against our state, the armed forces of the Republic will use all their offensive power without hesitation," he said. "This does not preclude the use of nuclear weapons."

Kim added that the North's "steps toward becoming a military superpower and a nuclear power will be accelerated."

North Korea passed a law declaring itself a nuclear state in 2022 and claimed the right to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike if threatened.

The warning came after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said last week that Kim's regime would be eliminated if it tried a nuclear attack against the South.

"If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military and the ROK-U.S. alliance," Yoon said during an Armed Forces Day address . "That day will be the end of the North Korean regime."

A parade celebrating the anniversary of the South's military featured the unveiling of a new "bunker buster" ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5, capable of carrying a massive 8-ton warhead.

Kim responded by calling Yoon an "abnormal man" in remarks carried by state media. He again referred to the South Korean president in his speech Monday, saying he was showing "blind faith" in the power of the United States.

"A wise politician should not engage in reckless remarks about the safety of the country and the people, but should put more effort into managing the situation to prevent military conflicts rather than confrontation with a nuclear state," Kim said.

Relations between the neighbors have been on the decline over the past few years amid a steady stream of weapons tests and bellicose rhetoric from the North and a hardline stance from Seoul.

Earlier this year, Kim declared the South the "principal enemy" and publicly called for a constitutional change rejecting the long-held official goal of reunification.

North Korea had previously announced that it would convene a key parliamentary meeting on Monday to revise its constitution, but no reports have appeared in state media as of Tuesday.

Pyongyang also raised the specter of its nuclear threat recently by showing off an enrichment facility for weapons-grade uranium last month. Analysts have said that the North is looking to send a message to the United States ahead of next month's presidential election and may conduct a provocation such as an ICBM or nuclear test.