North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday that his country could "completely destroy" South Korea if it feels threatened, escalating rhetoric while ruling out renewed talks.

Speaking at North Korea’s weeklong Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, Kim labeled South Korea the "most hostile enemy" and said "the conciliatory attitude that South Korea's current government advocates on the surface is clumsily deceptive and crude," according to state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim said North Korea "can initiate arbitrary action" if South Korea engages in "obnoxious behavior" directed at his country, dismissing recent efforts by Seoul to improve relations.

"South Korea's complete collapse cannot be ruled out," Kim said, according to KCNA.

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During the congress, Kim outlined sweeping five-year policy goals centered on expanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. The country is believed to possess around 50 warheads and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, according to an estimate last year from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The North Korean leader said the country's "international status has risen extraordinarily."

"It is our party's firm will to further expand and strengthen our national nuclear power, and thoroughly exercise its status as a nuclear state," Kim said, according to KCNA. "We will focus on projects to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand nuclear operational means."

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Kim laid out plans for North Korea to develop more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches, along with artificial intelligence-driven weapons systems and unmanned drones, KCNA reported.

Kim, who met with President Donald Trump three times during Trump’s first term, signaled he may be open to future negotiations with Washington but placed responsibility squarely on the United States.

"Whether it’s peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make," he said.

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Kim said that if the U.S. "withdraws its policy of confrontation" with North Korea and acknowledges the country's "current status," there would be "no reason why we cannot get along well with the U.S."

Following the congress, Kim’s teenage daughter attended a military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to KCNA. Ju Ae, believed to be 13 or 14, was photographed standing beside her father and senior military leaders.

Her appearance comes after South Korean media reported that Kim recently gave her a leadership role in the regime’s powerful "Missile Administration," which oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces.

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey, along with Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has handed his teenage daughter a leadership role in the regime’s powerful "Missile Administration," the body that oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces, South Korean media reported Monday.

The girl, Ju Ae, who is believed to be 13 or 14 years old, was assessed by South Korean intelligence received on Sunday to be acting as a "missile general director" while authorities monitor developments at the ongoing Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, the reports said.

The Chosun Daily, citing high-level government sources familiar with the matter, said intelligence agencies obtained reports that Kim’s daughter has been elevated to the position.

While Jang Chang-ha is officially listed as director of the administration, intelligence suggested Kim’s daughter is receiving briefings from generals and issuing directives.

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South Korea’s National Intelligence Service recently told lawmakers that her public profile signals she is also in the "stage of being designated as a successor," adding that circumstances have been seen where she provides opinions on policy, The Associated Press reported.

The teen has appeared alongside her father at high-profile military events, including intercontinental ballistic missile launches and weapons inspections.

North Korean state media first confirmed her existence in November 2022, and described her only as a "beloved child" when she accompanied Kim at the launch of the Hwasong-17 ICBM. 

Her name has never been officially disclosed by Pyongyang.

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Her reported role comes as Kim continues to showcase advances in the country’s weapons programs.

On Feb. 18, Kim was photographed taking the wheel of a nuclear-capable 600mm multiple rocket launcher in Pyongyang, touting it as among the most powerful of its kind.

State media showed rows of launch vehicles and said the rockets, which Kim claimed rival short-range ballistic missiles and use artificial intelligence in their guidance systems, have "completely changed" modern artillery warfare, Reuters reported.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Kim was re-elected general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea on Feb.22, a decision announced by state-run media following the party’s Ninth Congress.

North Korea has suspended all meaningful diplomacy with the United States and South Korea since the collapse of a 2019 summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.

This came over disagreements about sanctions relief in exchange for steps to wind down Kim’s nuclear and missile program.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was re-elected as general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, according to a press release from the country’s state-run media.

The decision was announced on Monday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which said the party formally adopted the measure on Feb. 22 during its Ninth Congress.

KCNA described the move as reflecting the "unanimous desire" of party members, the military and the public, praising Kim as the "centre of unity and leadership" and crediting him with strengthening the country’s nuclear deterrence and advancing economic and military development.

The lengthy statement highlighted the country’s achievements over the past five years, including improvements to national defense capabilities and economic planning.

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It also reaffirmed Kim's role as the guiding figure in the country’s "socialist construction."

Kim, who has been in power since 2011, has served as general secretary of the Workers’ Party since 2021, when he formally assumed the title previously held by his late father, Kim Jong Il.

An analysis by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) suggests North Korea could use the conclusion of the Ninth Party Congress to unveil new strategic weapons and highlight progress under its 2021–2025 military modernization plan.

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The report notes Pyongyang may showcase advances in intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles as it seeks to improve the survivability and accuracy of its nuclear capabilities.

AEI assessed that Kim is also likely to outline modernization goals for the 2026–2030 period, potentially emphasizing second-strike capabilities, faster launch readiness and more diverse delivery systems.

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Beyond military issues, the analysis says Kim may frame the current five-year economic plan as a success, pointing to increased trade with Russia and China and efforts under his "20×10 Regional Development Policy" to reduce rural-urban disparities.