DPRK rigorously warns US and South Korea amid Vigilant Storm drills
Pyongyang warns of more coercive measures to protect its borders against US and South Korean aggression.
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Kim Jong Un inspects a missile test at an undisclosed location. (DPRK handout)
The DPRK has issued a warning to the United States and South Korea against continuing their joint military drills, vowing a more powerful response to US provocations.
"The situation in the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity has entered the serious confrontation phase of power for power again due to the ceaseless and reckless military moves of the US and South Korea," North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a Monday statement that was carried by the country's official KCNA news agency.
"If the US continuously persists in the grave military provocations, the DPRK will take into account more powerful follow-up measures," the statement added.
Earlier in the day, Washington and Seoul kicked off their largest five-day-long joint aerial drills, named Vigilant Storm, with hundreds of warplanes performing simulatory attacks.
According to the US Air Force, the wargames include 240 warplanes conducting 1,600 sorties. The US Air Force boasted that the exercises were unprecedented in their scale.
The DPRK said it is "ready to take all necessary measures for defending its sovereignty, people's security, and territorial integrity from outside military threats.
"If the US does not want any serious developments not suited to its security interests, it should stop the useless and ineffective war exercises at once. If not, it will have to totally take the blame for all the consequences," the ministry said.
Yesterday, Monday, Reuters reported that the US and South Korean militaries launched the largest ever military exercises due to last for five days and with hundreds of warplanes bound to participate in 1,600 sorties in attack preparation courses 24 hours per day.
According to a US Air Force statement, Operation Vigilant Storm is the largest since 2017 and is intended to fend off alleged encroachments from North Korea's military.
The joint drills were condemned by North Korea as a "rehearsal for invasion and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul," but per Reuters, allies consider the drills a requirement due to the North Korean military launching a high number of missiles this year, which, in their turn, were in response to growing US influence in the region alongside South Korea.
The nuclear policy pertaining to North Korea was strengthened by its leader, Kim Jong Un, who stated earlier this month that the recent launches were "tactical nuclear" drills intended as a "warning" to Washington and Seoul.
