North Korea vows to ‘annihilate’ U.S., says country will be terminated this century

July 29 (UPI) -- North Korea's Foreign Ministry this week vowed that the country would "annihilate" the United States, adding that the U.S. would be terminated this century.

"Should the U.S. choose to offend our Republic, we will annihilate them by using all our military power that we have gathered so far," the North Korean diplomats said in a statement Thursday, the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice.

"The Korean War in the last century marked the beginning of the downfall of the U.S. Now, the 21st century would see the irrevocable termination of the U.S. The rulers of the U.S. are well advised to forget, on no account, the lessons of history."

The conflict-ending truce was reached between North Korea, China -- which had supported North Korea -- and the United States, which had supported South Korea in the war. South Korea did not agree to the armistice.

The armistice allowed for the establishment of the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea and the repatriation of prisoners of war. U.S. troops have since been staged in South Korea to help prevent another war and defend its ally in the case one begins.

North Korea has a long history of provoking conflict with its southern neighbor in the decades since the armistice from kidnapping and assassinations of high-profile South Koreans to hijacking South Korean airliners in 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The reclusive nation also attacked U.S. military planes and ships through the years.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, North Korea lost a significant contributor to its economy. Now, with the war in Ukraine and rising tensions between the East and the West, North Korea has sought to strengthen its ties with China and Russia.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and top Chinese officials reaffirmed the close military ties between the two communist nations, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.