North Korea decides to abolish agencies managing relations with South Korea

Seoul [South Korea]: North Korea has decided to abolish agencies managing relations with South Korea at a key parliamentary meeting, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing state media.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un said South Korea should be marked “No. 1 hostile country” in the Constitution.

The decision was taken during the 10th session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) held in Pyongyang on Monday, Yonhap News reported citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

North Korea has taken decisions regarding agencies – the National Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, an agency in charge of national economic cooperation, and an agency handling the Mt Kumgang tour project.

North Korea will abolish those agencies that have only existed to promote inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation. North Korea’s cabinet and related organisations will take “practical” steps to implement the decision of the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA).

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called South Korea Pyongyang’s “principal enemy” and added that he has “no intention of avoiding war,” Yonhap News reported, citing state media.

He also threatened to annihilate South Korea if it tried to use force against the North. Kim Jong-un made the remarks as he inspected a munitions factory, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

In a statement, “Predicating that the ROK clan is our principal enemy, he said what the DPRK should prioritise in relations with the hostile state” is “to bolster up the military capabilities for self-defense and the nuclear war deterrent first of all,” KCNA said, referring to the acronyms for the official names for South Korea and North Korea -ROK and DPRK, respectively.

Kim Jong-un announced that he would by no means bring a great event by involving strength in the Korean peninsula and added that he had no intention of avoiding a war as well.

Earlier on December 31, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered his army to “thoroughly annihilate” the US and South Korea if a provocation is made, Yonhap news agency reported, citing state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He called for perfecting the military’s readiness posture, saying the Korean Peninsula is “inching closer to the brink of armed conflict” and a clash could happen at any time. He made the remarks during a meeting with major commanding officers of the Korean People’s Army at the office building of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party on December 31, according to KCNA.

During the meeting, Kim spoke about “the critical security environment on the Korean peninsula inching closer to the brink of armed conflict as the days go by and the nature of the US and other hostile forces’ military confrontation moves.”

He emphasised that the situation indicates the urgency to further sharpen the treasured sword for safeguarding the security and peace of the DPRK and perfect the army’s regular military response posture,” it added, referring to the acronym for the North’s official name.