News / Foreign Policy / Koreas

North Korea warns of 'nuclear war' as US, Japan, South Korea stage drills

Tuesday, 29 August 2023 8:38 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 29 August 2023 9:19 AM ]

Members of US Special Operations Command Korea and South Korea’s Army Special Warfare Command take part in a joint maritime infiltration training as part of the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise in Yangyang on August 28, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

The United States, South Korea, and Japan have staged joint maritime missile drills off the Korean peninsula, drawing condemnation from North Korea which warned Washington and its allies of the “danger of a nuclear war.”

The drills on Tuesday took place off South Korea’s southern Jeju Island, following the US deployment of some of its most advanced weaponry, including nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines, to the peninsula.

Destroyers equipped with the Aegis system to track and shoot down missiles were used in the drills, which was the first in its kind after the leaders of the three nations pledged to improve security cooperation.

The South Korean military said the exercises were carried out in a bid to improve the military forces’ ability to detect and track targets and to share information about Pyongyang’s ballistic missile launches.

North Korea: US' reckless moves raise 'danger of nuclear war’ on Korean Peninsula

North Korea says the US is increasing the chances of a “nuclear war” on the Korean Peninsula.

As the drills began, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for “radically” modernizing the country’s weapons and urged his military to be constantly ready for combat to thwart plots to invade the country.

Addressing a ceremony held to mark Navy Day, Kim warned over the provocative moves by the US and other hostile allies across the Korean peninsula, depicting the leaders of the US, Japan, and South Korea as the “gang bosses.”

“Owing to the reckless confrontational moves of the US and other hostile forces, the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been reduced into the world’s biggest war hardware concentration spot, the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war,” North Korea’s leader said.

“The prevailing situation requires our navy to put all its efforts into rounding off the war readiness to maintain the constant combat alertness,” Kim said, adding the naval forces would become part of the “state nuclear deterrence carrying out the strategic duty.”

Amid heightened tensions with the North, the US and South Korea last week began the Ulchi Freedom Shield summer exercises, pldeging to enhance their joint responses to North Korea’s nuclear activities.

The North views all military drills conducted by Washington and its regional allies as rehearsals for the invasion of its territory.

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