North Korea warned that it would take necessary retaliatory measures against joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, describing the drills as a direct threat to the security of the Korean Peninsula and the wider region.
According to a report published by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang strongly condemned the joint US-South Korean military exercises that began in South Korea. The North Korean administration also rejected Washington and Seoul’s statements that the exercises are routine and defensive in nature.
“The Korean Peninsula Is Being Pushed to the Brink of War”
KCNA argued that the joint military activities were further escalating already high tensions on the Korean Peninsula and bringing the region closer to the brink of another war.
Pyongyang claimed that the main purpose of the exercises was to strengthen the capability to wage an actual war against North Korea, describing the military activities of the United States and South Korea as a “direct threat.”
North Korea Signals Retaliatory Measures
The North Korean administration stated that necessary retaliatory measures would be taken in response to the exercises. Pyongyang’s statement has raised concerns that military tensions in the region could escalate further as a result of the new drills.
Exercises to Last More Than 10 Days
The joint exercises, which began on Monday and are scheduled to continue for more than 10 days, include activities involving land, sea and air forces, as well as space, cyberspace and psychological warfare operations.
US forces stationed in South Korea and the South Korean Armed Forces are participating in the exercises, along with US troops deployed from different regions and military personnel from countries contributing to the United Nations Command.
