Kim Jong-un calls South Korea 'most hostile state' while Blue House preaches peace, dialogue
Published: 24 Mar. 2026, 16:00
Updated: 24 Mar. 2026, 16:10
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the second day of the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang on March 23 in this photo carried by the Rodong Sinmun on March 24. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/24/0e238796-0fdc-413a-8269-d680ede90c54.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the second day of the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang on March 23 in this photo carried by the Rodong Sinmun on March 24. [NEWS1]
South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday that adversarial rhetoric from North Korea undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called South Korea “the most hostile state” and warned of “merciless” consequences if provoked.
Kim made the remarks during a speech on Monday at the second and final day of the first session of the newly elected 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, the North's state media reported.
North Korea “officially designated” South Korea “as the most hostile nation and will thoroughly ignore and disregard it through the clearest remarks and actions,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.
North Korea “will continue to solidify its status as a nuclear weapons state [...] while aggressively staging campaigns to crush any provocations by hostile forces,” the KCNA quoted Kim as saying. He warned South Korea would face “merciless” consequences if it provokes the North.
In response, the Blue House said “the only path to ensuring stability and prosperity for both Koreas on the Korean Peninsula is not hostility and confrontation, but peaceful coexistence built on dialogue and cooperation.”
“The government will pursue this policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula consistently, with a long-term vision,” it added.
![The phoenix flag, symbolizing South Korea's presidency, is raised at the Blue House in central Seoul on Dec. 29, 2025. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/24/ffbfc539-a417-4a26-91a5-9ec49ee2b406.jpg)
The phoenix flag, symbolizing South Korea's presidency, is raised at the Blue House in central Seoul on Dec. 29, 2025. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
South Korea's Ministry of Unification said it “reaffirmed the [North's] existing stance of hostile two states.”
“Overall, it reaffirmed the internal and external policy direction and positions outlined at [last month’s] Ninth Party Congress,” a ministry official said. “The government will continue consistent efforts to develop inter-Korean relations into a relationship of peaceful coexistence oriented toward reunification.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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