Kim Jong Un reiterated that North Korea would "without hesitation" use its full attack capabilities if South Korea employed armed forces against it. This warning comes amid growing concerns over North Korea's expanding security ties with Russia.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un said he will speed up steps toward a military superpower and strong nuclear power, South Korean news agency News1 reported on Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to use nuclear weapons to destroy South Korea if attacked, state media reported Friday, after South Korea’s president warned that if the North used nuclear weapons it would “face the end of its regime.