North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un called for the Army to be constantly prepared for combat to thwart their rivals’ invasion plans, state media reported on Tuesday, as the United States, South Korea and Japan conducted a trilateral naval exercise to deal with mounting nuclear threats from North Korea.
Since last week, the US and South Korean militaries have been conducting separate bilateral summer exercises. The North Korean regime considers this type of training with US participation like an invasion rehearsalalthough Washington and its partners maintain that their exercises are defensive.
In a speech on Monday to mark North Korean Navy Day, Kim Jong-un said the waters off the Korean Peninsula have become unstable. “with the danger of a nuclear war” due to US-led hostilities, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
He also accused the United States of conducting “more frantic” naval exercises with its allies and deploying strategic assets in waters close to the Korean Peninsula. The dictator also cited a recent summit between the United States, South Korea and Japan in which an agreement was reached to boost defense cooperation to counter the North Korean nuclear program. Kim called the US president, Joe Bidento the South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeoland the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishidaof “gang leaders” from the three countries.
“The prevailing situation requires our Navy to put all its efforts into rounding up war readiness to maintain constant combat readiness and prepare to break the enemy’s war will in case of contingency,” Kim said.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry deeply regretted that Kim Jong-un used “very foul language” to slander the South Korean, American and Japanese leaders. The spokesperson lim soosuk He told reporters that North Korea must immediately end acts that escalate tensions with “reckless threats and provocations.”
In Washington, cho hyundongSouth Korea’s ambassador to the United States, said South Korean, American and Japanese efforts to improve relations would not be slowed down by the North Korean dictator’s rhetoric.
“North Korea’s continued provocations and violations of multiple UN security resolutions will only reinforce trilateral security cooperation,” Cho said.
Cho made the remarks Tuesday at an appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies with Tomita KojiJapan’s ambassador to the United States, and kurt campbellone of Biden’s top advisers on Indo-Pacific affairs.
In the South Korean-American-Japanese maneuvers on Tuesday in international waters off the South Korean island of Jeju Naval destroyers from the three countries participated. The objective of the training was to master the procedures for detection, tracking and exchange of information on North Korean missiles, the South Korean Navy said in a statement.
The US and South Korean militaries kicked off the 11-day bilateral exercises on Aug. 21. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield training is normally a computer simulated command post exercise, but this year has included field exercises.
The North Korean regime often responds to US and South Korean military exercises with its own missile tests. Last Thursday his second attempt to launch a spy satellite into space failed. The day the exercises began, the KCNA said Kim watched the test firing of strategic cruise missiles.
Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has conducted more than 100 weapons tests, many of them with nuclear-capable missiles designed to attack the United States, South Korea and Japan. Many experts say that North Korea ultimately wants to use its increased military capabilities to extract further concessions from the United States.
Testing of the North Korean regime has prompted the United States and South Korea to expand their exercises, resume trilateral training with Japan and increase “regular visibility” of US strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula. In July, the United States deployed a nuclear submarine to South Korea for the first time in four decades.
Earlier this month, the leaders of the United States, South Korea and Japan held the first solo trilateral summit in their history at Camp David. During the meeting, they announced their intention to launch real-time missile warning data sharing over North Korea and hold annual trilateral exercises by the end of the year.
Kim Jong-un, meanwhile, has worked to expand his nuclear arsenal and introduce a series of sophisticated weapons systems.
During his Army Day speech, Kim said military units in each service would receive new weapons in line with the government’s decision to expand the operation of tactical nuclear weapons. He said the Navy would become “a component of the state’s nuclear deterrent doing strategic duty.”
This suggests that North Korea would deploy new nuclear-capable missiles to its navy and other military services.
State media photos showed Kim Jong-un visiting the Navy headquarters with his daughter, reportedly named Ju Ae and about 10 years old. It was his first public appearance since mid-May. Kim has taken her to a series of public events since November, sparking speculation about her political status.
South Korean officials say Kim has not anointed her as his heir. They believe Kim is probably trying to use her daughter’s public appearance as a way to show her people that one of her sons will one day inherit power from her in what would be the country’s third hereditary handover. .
(With information from AP)
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Source-www.infobae.com