DPRK top leader urges bolstering up self-defense

SEOUL - The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called the Republic of Korea (ROK) a "principal enemy" and asked his country to bolster up self-defense capabilities, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, made the remarks during his inspection of major munitions factories earlier this week, according to the KCNA report.

Kim stressed that the DPRK should prioritize in bolstering up the military capabilities for self-defense and the nuclear war deterrent when it comes to its relations with the ROK, the KCNA report said.

The DPRK leader said the historic time has come at last when the DPRK should define the ROK as "a state most hostile", a designation which he stressed his country should view as "unavoidable and irrevocable reality", since the ROK "has pursued a history of vicious confrontation with bloodshot eyes to overthrow our regime and social system for nearly 80 years", the report said.

Noting the grave security situation on the Korean Peninsula, Kim made clear that the DPRK "would by no means unilaterally bring a great event", but it has "no intention of avoiding a war", it said.

He warned if the ROK attempts to use armed forces against the DPRK or threaten its sovereignty and security, his country will have no hesitation in annihilating the ROK by mobilizing all means and forces, it added.

The latest strongly-worded rhetoric by the DPRK leader came after the recent spike in animosities between the two countries.