Fire to target

North Korean State Councilor Kim Jong-un (photo) defines inter-Korean relations as “relationships between belligerents in a war” rather than “relationships of the same ethnic group”. On the occasion of the New Year, he officially announced a fundamental change in his approach to South Korea. He also threatened: “The war on the Korean Peninsula is gradually becoming a real entity. If something happens (if a war breaks out), all physical means and forces, including nuclear force, will be mobilized to continue to pacify the entire territory of South Korea (South Korea). Step up preparations for major events.” This is the strongest war threat since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2012. Some analysts believe that this is a warning of a large-scale military provocation against South Korea before South Korea holds parliamentary elections in April.