North Korea threatens US of ‘highly effective follow-up measures’ over joint army drills

The U.S. and South Korea have resumed large-scale army drills this yr after suspending them in previous years. The North Korean Foreign Ministry assertion mentioned the army drills uncovered the United States because the “chief culprit in destroying peace and security.”

Seoul,UPDATED: Nov 1, 2022 15:07 IST

North Korea has ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a report tempo this yr (Photo: Kim jong un/Reuters)

By Associated Press: North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized the United States for increasing joint army workout routines with South Korea that it claims are follow for a possible invasion, and it warned Tuesday of “more powerful follow-up measures” in response.

The assertion from the ministry got here because the U.S. and South Korea conduct aerial drills involving greater than 200 warplanes, together with their superior F-35 fighter jets, as they step up their protection posture within the face of North Korea’s elevated weapons testing and rising nuclear menace.

North Korea has ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a report tempo this yr, launching greater than 40 ballistic missiles, together with developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles and an intermediate-range missile fired over Japan. The North has punctuated these exams with an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes preemptive nuclear assaults in loosely outlined disaster conditions.

The U.S. and South Korea have resumed large-scale army drills this yr after downsizing or suspending them in previous years as a part of efforts to create diplomatic area with Pyongyang and due to the pandemic.

The United States and South Korea’s “Vigilant Storm” air drive drills, that are to proceed via Friday, got here after South Korea accomplished its annual 12-day “Hoguk” area workout routines that officers say additionally concerned an unspecified variety of American troops.

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North Korea’s newest assertion got here simply days after the nation fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the ocean, extending a barrage of launches since late September. Some of these launches have been described by the North as simulated nuclear assaults on South Korean and U.S. targets.

North Korea has mentioned its testing actions are meant as a warning amid the joint army drills. But some consultants say Pyongyang has additionally used the drills as an opportunity to check new weapons techniques, increase its nuclear functionality and enhance its leverage in future dealings with Washington and Seoul.

In feedback attributed to an unidentified spokesperson, the North Korean Foreign Ministry assertion mentioned the army drills uncovered the United States because the “chief culprit in destroying peace and security.” It mentioned the North was able to take “all necessary measures” to defend towards exterior army threats.

“If the U.S. continuously persists in the grave military provocations, the DPRK will take into account more powerful follow-up measures,” the spokesperson mentioned, utilizing North Korea’s formal identify, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The assertion didn’t specify what these measures might be.

South Korean officers have mentioned North Korea may up the ante in coming weeks by detonating its first nuclear check system since September 2017, which may probably take the nation a step nearer to its targets of constructing a full-fledged nuclear arsenal able to threatening regional U.S. allies and the American mainland.

In latest weeks, North Korea has additionally fired a whole lot of shells in inter-Korean maritime buffer zones that the 2 Koreas established in 2018 to scale back frontline army tensions. North Korea has mentioned that firing was in response to South Korean live-fire workout routines at land border areas. The rival Koreas exchanged warning photographs Oct. 24 alongside their disputed western sea boundary, a scene of previous bloodshed and naval battles, as they accused one another of violating the boundary.

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Published On:

Nov 1, 2022