North Korea kim jong un says Iran should specifically prepare to confront the US
North Korea slammed a combined military exercise performed this month by South Korea, Japan, and the United States, according to state media, saying such drills demonstrate the three nations’ alliance has evolved into “the Asian version of NATO”.
On Thursday, the three countries began large-scale combined military drills named “Freedom Edge” featuring navy destroyers, fighter fighters, and the nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, with the goal of strengthening defenses against missiles, submarines, and air strikes.
The drill was designed at a three-way meeting at Camp David last year to boost military cooperation amid concerns on the Korean peninsula caused by North Korea’s weapons testing.
Pyongyang will not overlook the strengthening of a military bloc led by the United States and its allies, and it would respond aggressively and decisively to defend regional peace, according to North Korea’s foreign ministry, as reported by KCNA.
The ministry also stated that Washington was continuing its efforts to bind South Korea and Japan to NATO, using South Korea’s intentions to supply weaponry to Ukraine as an example.
In response to a recent mutual defense deal signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korea announced that it would consider delivering arms directly to Ukraine.
South Korea and the United States have accused the North of supplying Russia with weaponry used in the Ukraine war. Both Russia and North Korea deny that such transactions occurred.
On Saturday, North Korea’s governing party conducted a critical meeting on the second day, overseen by Kim, who addressed “deviations” impeding economic progress and laid out the agenda for the second half of the year, state media reported.
