Success Nwankwo
North Korea demanded that the allies stop their “frantic war drills” on Tuesday, threatening that Seoul and Washington would pay a “dear price” for large-scale military rehearsals that began this week.
This year, Pyongyang has warned war for “even 0.001 mm” of territorial incursion, branded South Korea its “principal enemy,” and disbanded organisations tasked with outreach and reunification.
The partners declared that “Freedom Shield” will comprise 48 field exercises, including live shooting, bombing, air attack and missile interception manoeuvres, as they began their annual spring military exercises Monday with double the number of troops participating compared to 2023.
Washington and Seoul are to stop the “frantic” and “reckless” war drills, according to an unidentified spokesman for the North’s defence ministry.
The military of Pyongyang “severely warns them to stop the moves further causing provocation and instability” and “strongly denounces the reckless military drills of the US and the ROK,” according to a spokesman quoted in a statement issued by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency, which uses South Korea’s official name.
Seoul declared on Tuesday that its armed forces were well equipped to handle any attacks from North Korea. “If North Korea were to directly provoke under the pretext of (our) joint military exercises, we would respond overwhelmingly according to the principle of immediate, strong and final (action),” South Korea’s defence ministry said in a statement.
Leader Kim Jong Un repeated last month that Pyongyang would not hesitate to “put an end” to South Korea if attacked, calling Seoul the North’s “most dangerous and first enemy state and invariable arch-enemy.” The allies added.
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea has vowed to meet any aggression from Pyongyang with force, instructing his armed forces to “act first, report later” if provoked and guaranteeing that Seoul will retaliate “multiple times stronger.”