Kim Yo Jong, deputy department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, released the following press statement on April 4:

So Uk, defense minister of south Korea, revealed extreme uneasiness, talking about a "preemptive strike" on our army's possible strike means against south Korea on April 1.

His abrupt bluffing evidently showed that they are so frightened.

It seems that he wanted to give such an impression to the public that the south Korean army is well prepared.

But it was a very big, irretrievable mistake that he, the so-called representative of the south Korean army, talked about "preemptive strike", terming us enemy.

We have already clarified that south Korea is not our principal enemy.

In other words, it means that unless the south Korean army takes any military action against our state, it will not be regarded as a target of our attack.

We oppose war. If the armies of the two sides fight against each other, the entire Korean nation will suffer a disaster as it did half a century ago, nay, something that might be more terrible, no matter which side will win or lose in a war or a combat.

We are clearly against such war. That's why our Marshal clarified that our principal enemy is just a war itself.

However, the south Korean army, labeling us as enemy, talked about the possibility of mounting a preemptive strike on us with such a premise as in certain circumstances. Such nonsense itself is a very dangerous and nasty expression.

If anyone does not provoke us, we will never strike it preemptively.

But if south Korea, for any reason or out of sense of misjudgement, opts for such a military action as "preemptive strike" mentioned by So Uk, the situation will change.

In that case, south Korea itself will become a target.

Two days ago, we solemnly warned that the south Korean army will face an unimaginably terrible disaster, the worst-ever, if it violates even an inch of our territory.

In case south Korea opts for military confrontation with us, our nuclear combat force will have to inevitably carry out its duty.

It is the primary mission of the nuclear forces to prevent such a war first of all, but in case of war, its mission will convert into the one of eliminating the enemy's armed forces at a strike.

A nuclear combat force is mobilized to take the initiative at the outset of war, completely dampen the enemy's war spirits, prevent protracted hostilities and preserve one's own military force.

If the situation reaches such phase, a dreadful attack will be launched and the south Korean army will have to face a miserable fate little short of total destruction and ruin.

This is not a threat.

This is a detailed explanation of our reaction to possible reckless military action by south Korea and its consequences and, at the same time, a briefing on the reason why south Korea should not harbor such fancy as military provocation against a nuclear-armed state.

But there is a way for averting such miserable end.

It will be possible to avoid the above-said horrible disaster, if it refrains from making untimely provocation and dreaming a daydream and ponders over a way for protecting itself from incoming shells, although it might not happen.

"Preemptive strike" against a nuclear-armed state? …

This is a fantastic daydream, and it is hysteria of a lunatic.

We make it clear once again.

We will not fire even a single bullet or shell at south Korea. It is because we do not regard it as a match for our armed forces.

This opinion comes not from the view by contrast with a nuclear-armed state in the light of military capabilities but from the fact that the north and the south of Korea are of the same nation who should not fight against each other.

I pray that such morbid symptom as feeling threatened for no ground would be cured as early as possible.

KCNA