North Korea calls South Korea-US military drills ‘open provocation’, threatens retaliation

The North Korean military has described the recent US-South Korean military exercises as an “open provocation and dangerous war drill” and has threatened to respond to them with “sustained, resolute, and overwhelming” military actions.

KCNA, the nation’s official media reported that the General Staff of its Korean People’s Army said that the “Vigilant Storm” exercises were an “open provocation aimed at intentionally escalating the tension” and “a dangerous war drill of very high aggressive nature” toward North Korea.

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The warning as per Reuters comes amid a flurry of recent missile launches by North Korea, including four ballistic missiles fired on Saturday, days after the biggest-ever air force exercises between the US and South Korea ended.

In the Vigilant Storm drills, hundreds of US and South Korean jets, including potent B-1B heavy bombers participated in an action that according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff showed “the capability and readiness to firmly respond to any provocations from North Korea”.

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According to KCNA, the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army issued a statement saying it “will continue to correspond with all the anti-DPRK war drills of the enemy with the sustained, resolute and overwhelming practical military measures.”

The recent North Korean testing of ballistic missiles, which the statement referred to as “corresponding military operations,” were described as a “complete answer” to Washington and Seoul’s combined military exercises last week, reports AFP.

“The more persistently the enemies’ provocative military moves continue, the more thoroughly and mercilessly the KPA will counter them,” it said. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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