PYONGYANG — North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party, issued a stern warning against the upcoming joint military exercises between the United States, South Korea, and Japan, which she described as a "reckless show of force" that will bring "unfavorable results." The statement, released via the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 14, came just ahead of two major drills scheduled to begin on the 15th and run through the 19th.
The drills in question include the U.S.-S. Korea combined nuclear-conventional integration (CNI) tabletop exercise, 'Iron Mace,' aimed at countering and deterring North Korean nuclear threats. Concurrently, a trilateral, multi-domain exercise known as 'Freedom Edge' is set to take place involving the U.S., S. Korea, and Japan.
In her statement, Kim Yo Jong noted, "The reckless show of force demonstrated by the U.S., Japan, and the ROK in the vicinity of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will undoubtedly bring about unfavorable consequences for themselves." She also brought attention to the "dangerous concept" of the "ROK-U.S. Joint Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines," which she said the previous administration had devised. Kim asserted that if the current administrations were to implement these plans, Pyongyang would interpret it as a "clear and unfiltered 'display' of a hostile anti-DPRK stance" and a "succession of the confrontation policy."
While she refrained from directly naming South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, her remarks were clearly directed at their respective governments.
In a separate statement, Pak Jong Chon, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, also condemned the trilateral drills, calling them an "open nuclear war rehearsal" and "the most comprehensive and aggressive invasion war practice" targeting North Korea.
"The U.S. and its followers must stop provoking our patience and abandon their dangerous game of further exacerbating regional tensions and the security environment," Pak warned. He added that if the hostile forces' show of force continues, North Korea's countermeasures would become "more explicit and stronger."
The statements reflect escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula as Pyongyang perceives the joint military drills as a direct threat to its security, while the allied nations maintain that the exercises are purely defensive in nature and necessary for regional stability and deterrence.
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