Pyongyang/Seoul: South Korea has maintained its decision to hold exercises with the United States despite North Korea’s prior warnings. North Korea said the drills were an invasion rehearsal. It also warned of strengthening its “preemptive strike” capabilities to respond to the exercise, calling it a sign of the growing military threat posed by the United States to it. The threat was made by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. It is the second time this week that Kim Yo-jong has threatened South Korea.   

In June last year, North Korea blew up a joint liaison office, which was set up to improve relations between the two countries. North Korea has since severed ties between the two countries and stepped up military and nuclear moves. In the past few months, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has also stepped up efforts to boost cooperation with China. The move is said to be aimed at pressurising South Korea and the United States. However, even as North Korea continued to add pressure, both Koreas decided to re-establish contact with each other a few days ago.   

Despite that, North Korea has not changed its stand on the military exercises between the United States and South Korea. Last week, Kim Yo-jong had warned that the North Korean government and military were keeping a close eye on whether South Korea chooses the provocative exercises or a bold decision. Besides, the United States and South Korea have stated that the training would continue as per schedule, despite the threat issued by North Korea. Therefore, North Korea appears to have threatened again, taking a more aggressive stance as the US and South Korea did not change their decision on the joint drills.    

“Despite North Korea’s warning, the decision to continue drills with the United States is a sign of South Korea’s deceitful behaviour. Such a policy could pose a more serious threat to security. The exercise also shows the Biden administration’s duplicity towards North Korea,’ said Kim Yo-jong, the sister of dictator Kim Jong-un. Kim Yo-jong also warned that there would be no peace in the Korean peninsula unless the United States dismantled its military force in the South.   

Criticising the US and South Korean exercises, Kim Yo-jong also threatened that North Korea would increase its defence capabilities. Kim Yo-jong also said that North Korea would put more spur into further growing the deterrent of absolute capacity, including strengthening preemptive strike capabilities. At the same time, the North Korean dictator’s sister Kim Yo-jong threatened that the US-South Korean exercise is a step the countries have taken towards their destruction.    

South Korea informed that the North has stopped responding to the hotline set up for making contact between the two Koreas following the threat. At the same time, the US Department of Defense has refused to respond to North Korea’s warning. 

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