Kim Jong-un calls for intensified preparations for war amid Seoul-Washington joint military drills

김정은, 소총 들고 사격 자세 “사소한 전쟁기도도 철저히 제압“ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his recent visit to a military base called for strengthened preparations for war, in an apparent move to counter the ongoing combined military drills by South Korea and the U.S. In response, the Seoul’s Defense Minister warned that the South will immediately punish the North,.. if it uses this as an opportunity to engage in provocations. Choi Min-jung reports. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen taking a shooting position with a rifle. On Wednesday, he visited a key military base,. and called for strengthened preparations for war. The regime’s Korean Central News Agency on Thursday reported, that Kim ordered for “practical, actual-war training“ to be intensified. Kim underlined that this would allow the regime to suppress enemies with “overwhelming force,“ and contain the slightest attempt to start a war. The visit comes two days after South Korea and the U.S. launched their Freedom Shield military exercise, to strengthen deterrence against North Korea. An expert says, Kim’s remarks comes in an apparent move to counter the allies’ drill. “It appears that Kim’s remarks were in a way, intended to counter the Seoul-Washington military exercise. Internally, Kim encouraged the military and the soldiers pledged their loyalty to their leader.“ During an inspection of the Freedom Shield exercise on Thursday, Seoul’s Defense Minister Shin Won-sik dismissed Kim’s remarks, and ordered the military to prepare to destroy the regime in the shortest possible time, if it attempts to invade the South. The Minister also warned that South Korea would immediately punish the North, if it used the drills as an excuse to provoke. North Korea has often fired missiles in a show of protest against Seoul and Washington’s military exercises. Meanwhile, Seoul’s defense ministry on Thursday called Kim’s remarks “illogical.“ “It’s North Korea that’s directly violating UN Security Council resolutions and escalating nuclear and missile threats on the Korean Peninsula, while attempting to wage war. We believe the North is the one who’s done the wrong and being absurd.“ The Ministry once again reiterated that the combined exercise annually conducted by South Korea and the U.S. is defensive in nature. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News. #SouthKorea #UnitedStates #FreedomShield #NorthKorea #KimJongun #대한민국 #미국 #자유의방패 #한미_연합_훈련 #북한 #김정은 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-03-07, 18:00 (KST)