North Korean Propaganda Media: "South Korea-US Drills Are Preparatory Exercises for Aggressive Nuclear War"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] North Korean propaganda media condemned the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises as preparatory drills for a nuclear war with an aggressive nature.

The North Korean external weekly publication Tongil Sinbo stated in an editorial on the 14th, "(The South Korea-U.S. joint exercises) are an operational plan centered on a preemptive strike against the Republic (North Korea) and preparatory drills for nuclear war to better complete its execution."

Regarding reports that the scale of the exercises would be reduced, it emphasized, "Saying that changing a hammer to a mallet means it is not a weapon is nonsense," and added, "Regardless of the scale and form, the aggressive nature such as preemptive strikes and occupation of Pyongyang cannot be changed, and it cannot be guaranteed that whenever and wherever it takes place, it is not a prelude to nuclear war."

It further stated, "The guarantee of peace on the Korean Peninsula lies in the cessation of various invasion war exercises in South Korea, along with the removal of U.S. invasion forces and armed equipment and the withdrawal of hostile policies against the DPRK, which is the sentiment of the South Korean public."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

North Korea has been issuing consecutive critical statements through Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party and sister of Kim Jong-un, and Kim Yong-chol, Director of the Party's United Front Department, since the Crisis Management Staff Training (CMST), a preliminary exercise for the South Korea-U.S. joint drills, began on the 10th.

South Korea and the United States are scheduled to commence the joint exercises from the 16th. Contrary to North Korea's claims, the two countries emphasize that the joint exercises are "annual and defensive in nature" and that there is "no hostile intent toward North Korea."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.