Kim Yo Jong, sister to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, recently proclaimed that the nation would persist in bolstering its military capabilities in what she described as a response to “frequent U.S. military drills with the South.” This stance, combined with the testing of a new “super-large warhead” for its nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, illustrates the hermit kingdom’s steadfast commitment to strengthening its defense arsenal.
Kim’s remarks, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency, underlined that recent military exercises by the U.S. and its allies have pushed inter-Korean relations into “a dangerous vortex,” further asserting that regional tensions were akin to a “kindled detonating fuse.” The presence of approximately 28,500 American forces in South Korea serves as a constant deterrent against the North’s potential military advances, a remnant of Cold War-era policies aimed at maintaining regional equilibrium.
In her statement, Kim Yo Jong labeled the United States and its “lackeys” as the primary culprits in straining the regional situation, citing over 140 rounds of combined military drills. She firmly declared North Korea’s intention to continue its military expansion to protect its sovereignty, security, and regional peace, asserting, “No one can break our determination.”
The United States and South Korea have also ramped up their military readiness through comprehensive air drills, which include the deployment of over 100 aircraft in exercises designed to strengthen combined operational capabilities. The South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for his country’s armed forces to maintain a high level of preparedness to deter any potential provocations from the North.
Furthermore, Pyongyang’s recent displays of military prowess, with multiple rockets launched into the peninsula’s eastern waters, have attracted condemnation from the U.S. and its allies. Nonetheless, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry defended these actions as a legitimate exercise of self-defense, aimed at preventing the outbreak of war.
Relevant articles:
– North Korea Throws Down Gauntlet to US and Allies, Newsweek, 04/24/2024
– The U.S.–Japan–South Korea Trilateral Partnership: Pursuing Regional Stability and Avoiding Military Escalation, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT