North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un Gives New Year Address

By Editorial Dept.
Kim Jong-un
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the Masik-Ryong Ski Resort near Wonsan in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang, December 15, 2013. - Reuters pic, December 16, 2013.

Kim Jong Un gave his annual New Year address Wednesday, praising the recent purging of top officials in the Worker's Party and threatening nuclear warfare if South Korea or the United States engage in any military skirmishes with North Korea.

In his address, Kim applauded the recent removal of top Worker's Party officials - which includes the recent execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek,- saying that it strengthened the Party immensely. "As our Party detected and purged the anti-Party, counterrevolutionary factionalists at an opportune time and with a correct decision, the Party and revolutionary ranks were further consolidated and our single-hearted unity was solidified to the maximum," he said.

The North Korean dictator says he wants to make sure that all citizens and party members "think and act at all times and in all places in line with the Party's ideas and intentions." The Washington Post reports that he intends to "stamp out any sort of alien ideology and decadent lifestyle that may undermine our system."

Kim mentioned that he wants to improve relations with South Korea, yet rebuked South Korea and the United States for doing military stages. "The U.S. and South Korean war maniacs have deployed legions of equipment for a nuclear war in and around the Korean Peninsula and are going frantic in their military exercises for a nuclear war against the North," he said - "This precipitates a critical situation where any accidental military skirmish may lead to an all-out war."

CNN reports that some say Kim might do something risky in an attempt to take the attention away from disunity within the national Party.

"Should another war break out on this land," said Kim, referring to America's involvement with South Korea's military - "it will result in a deadly nuclear catastrophe, and the United States will never be safe."

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