North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un has warned South Korea that it could potentially be annihilated. Kim is making sure that his military has enhanced capabilities, but also says these are for “defense” purposes only, and that he’ll only strike if South Korea attacks first.

According to a report by RT, Kim’s remarks came shortly after South Korea evacuated civilians from Yeonpyeong Island, accusing Pyongyang of firing 200 artillery shells into a maritime buffer zone off its west coast on Friday. The South Korean military later launched an artillery volley of its own in the same area. Pyongyang claimed it had not actually fired a single round, but had detonated “blasting powder simulating the sound of 130mm coastal artillery” to see how its neighbor would react.

South Korea Ask Island Residents To Evacuate After “Provocation”

According to additional reporting by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim inspected several munitions factories on Monday and Tuesday. Speaking during the visits, the North Korean leader said that while the DPRK was not planning to trigger a military conflict on the Korean Peninsula, “we have no intention of avoiding a war as well.”

KCNA quoted the official as warning that if South Korea “dares attempt to use armed forces against the DPRK or threaten its sovereignty and security… we will have no hesitation in annihilating the ROK [Republic of Korea] by mobilizing all means and forces in our hands.” Kim branded South Korea the “principal enemy,” insisting that this meant the DPRK must step up its defensive military capabilities, particularly nuclear weapons. –RT

While commenting on the recent shelling incident, Kim Yo-jong, the tyrannical sister of the North Korean leader, said on Sunday that Pyongyang was ready to respond with a “baptism by fire” to any “foolish miscalculation” by the South. The North has also branded the South a “colonial subortdinate state” of the U.S., and therefore fair game during wars.

Several days prior, Kim called on the North Korean military and industry to “further accelerate the war preparations,” citing “unprecedented” provocations by Washington and its allies in the region.