North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country was ready to deploy a nuclear deterrent in anticipation of any military confrontation with the United States and criticized the new South Korean president for the first time, warning that Seoul was pushing things to the brink of war.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong-un made the announcement during a speech marking the 69th anniversary of the Korean War truce, which means the two Koreas are still effectively at war.

Kim noted that a confrontation with the United States poses a nuclear threat, as the conflict means North Korea must fulfill an “immediate historic mission” by bolstering its self-defense.

“Our armed forces are fully prepared to deal with any crisis, and our nuclear deterrence forces are fully prepared to use their full strength to carry out their task in good faith, accurately and immediately,” he added.

Kim attacked the government of South Korean President Yoon Seok Yul, saying that his attempts to preemptively block North Korea would be met with a harsh response and “destruction”.

“I once again clearly state that North Korea is fully prepared for any military confrontation with the United States,” he added.

In recent months, North Korea has tested hypersonic missiles and missiles it says are capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, shortening Seoul’s response time to a possible attack.