“The Pacific Ocean is not under the sovereignty of the US and Japan,” the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said, as the US and South Korea prepare to hold their biggest joint military exercises since 2018.
North Korea warned today that it would consider any interception of its missiles, which it is test-firing over the Pacific Ocean, as a “clear declaration of war” during upcoming joint US military exercises with South Korea.
“In the event that there is a military response, such as intercepting (our missiles) during our strategic weapons tests, it will be considered a clear declaration of war against the DPRK,” said Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s sister. Kim Jong Un, as reported by the KCNA news agency.
“The Pacific Ocean is not under the sovereignty of the US and Japan,” he stressed, as the US and South Korea prepare to hold their largest joint military exercises since 2018.
North Korea “is always ready to take appropriate, immediate and overwhelming measures at any time,” Kim’s sister stressed, calling the recent US military drills with South Korea “extremely furious.”
In addition to the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which the US and South Korean armed forces will hold from March 13 for at least 10 days, Washington and Seoul this week held joint air force exercises involving a US bomber B-52 capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
The US and South Korea stress that these are defense high schools, but Pyongyang sees them as a rehearsal for an invasion of its territory or an attempt to overthrow its regime.
Besides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea today accused the US of “deliberately” escalating the tension in the region.
“The recent joint air drills (…) clearly demonstrate that the plan to use nuclear weapons against the DPRK is proceeding at the pace of a real war,” he said in a statement.
“We deeply regret the irresponsible and alarming actions of the US and South Korea, which are pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula continuously towards instability,” he added.
Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul are at their lowest point in years.
In 2022, North Korea called its status as a nuclear power “irreversible” and conducted a series of ballistic missile tests in violation of UN resolutions.
For their part, Seoul and Washington decided to increase their joint military training centers and redeploy US strategic assets in the region.
Source :Skai
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