Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, said on 18/8, "The ever-increasing military ties between the US and South Korea, and their displays of force, are the clearest manifestation of their intent to ignite war. The current situation demands a radical and prompt shift in our current military theory and practice, as well as a rapid expansion of our nuclear weapons development efforts."
Kim made the remarks while inspecting North Korea's most advanced warship, the Choe Hyon-class destroyer. During the visit, he was briefed on the vessel's weapons systems.
The North Korean leader expressed satisfaction that "key tasks to transform the navy into a high-tech force equipped with nuclear-capable weapons" are progressing as planned.
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Kim Jong-un inspects the Choe Hyon-class destroyer on 18/8. Photo: KCNA |
Kim Jong-un inspects the Choe Hyon-class destroyer on 18/8. Photo: KCNA
The US and South Korea began their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises on 18/8, aimed at addressing "potential threats" from North Korea. According to the US military, the exercises will last 11 days and include several large-scale live-fire training events, describing them as defensive in nature.
North Korea routinely criticizes these joint exercises, viewing them as "invasion rehearsals" and often retaliating with weapons tests.
This year's US-South Korea drills will be similar in scale to those in 2024, but with adjustments. 20 of the 40 field training exercises will be postponed until September, following South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's declaration of intent to reduce tensions with North Korea.
Since taking office in June, Lee has sought to improve relations with North Korea, a reversal from the approach of his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol. However, Pyongyang has so far shown distrust and rejected Seoul's overtures.
On 15/8, President Lee pledged to respect North Korea's political system and build military trust. Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister and a top North Korean foreign policy official, previously stated that Pyongyang has no intention of improving relations with South Korea.
Huyen Le (AFP, KCNA)
