North Korea has warned of “unprecedented and strong counteractions” if the United States and South Korea proceed with their planned joint drills, according to the North Korean official mouthpiece on Thursday.
The North’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused the United States and South Korea of trying to gain “a long-term military edge” on the Korean Peninsula, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
“In case the U.S. and South Korea carry into practice their already-announced plan for military drills which the DPRK, with just apprehension and reason, regards as preparations for an aggression war, they will face unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions.”
DPRK is the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The spokesperson said that North Korea had refrained from “any special military action” but that the U.S.–South Korea military demonstrations “encroach upon the security interest of the DPRK.”
Citing the expansion of U.S.–South Korea joint drills and the U.S. pledge to deploy more military assets to defend South Korea, the spokesperson warned that the Korean Peninsula will be “plunged into the grave vortex of escalating tension.”
Read more: North Korea Warns of ‘Unprecedented’ Response to US–South Korea Joint Drills
