N. Korea's Kim warns of 'nuclear attack' if 'provoked' with nukes

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a warning that Pyongyang will not hesitate to launch a nuclear attack if provoked with nuclear weapons, as reported by state media. The statement comes following a meeting between South Korea and the United States where discussions on nuclear deterrence in the event of conflict with North Korea took place.

The meeting in Washington covered "nuclear and strategic planning," with a reiterated stance that any nuclear attack by North Korea on the United States or South Korea would lead to the end of the North Korean regime. In response, Kim Jong Un instructed the military's missile bureau "not to hesitate (launching) even a nuclear attack when the enemy provokes it with nukes," according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.

In response to Kim's warning, Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo issued a joint statement urging North Korea to "stop conducting further provocations and accept our call for engaging in substantive dialogue without preconditions." The three countries have increased defense cooperation amid North Korea's series of weapons tests.

The latest developments highlight the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang asserting its nuclear capabilities as essential for survival. The situation also reflects the breakdown of inter-Korean ties following North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite last month, which strained a military agreement aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two Koreas.