FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a visit to the National Defense University in Pyongyang, North Korea, October 7, 2024, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS/File Photo
SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said South Korea is a foreign and hostile country, state media KCNA said on Friday.
The remarks come a day after KCNA said North Korea's national assembly amended the constitution to designate South Korea a "hostile state", in line with Kim's vow to drop unification of the two Koreas as a national goal.
Kim also said the changed nature of the South Korea/U.S. alliance, and their different, more developed military maneuvers highlight the importance of a stronger North Korean nuclear deterrent.
As for North Korea's military blasting road and rail links with South Korea this week, Kim said it means "not only the physical closure but also the end of the evil relationship with Seoul" as well as "the complete removal of the useless awareness about fellow countrymen and unreasonable idea of reunification."
Pyongyang had said last week it would cut off inter-Korean paths entirely and further fortify the areas on its side of the border as part of its push for a "two-state" system scrapping its longstanding goal of unification.
Kim made the remarks while inspecting the headquarters of the 2nd Corps of North Korean army on Thursday, KCNA said.
(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler)
