North Korea sends strong warning to US, South Korea over naval drills in Peninsula  

North Korea has sent strong warning to South Korea and the United States (US) over the commencement of naval drills in the Korean peninsula, threatening that the military exercise poses the risk of war in the territory.

President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea has been strengthening the military might of the South through military alliance with the US and the joint South Korea, US military drills, in readiness for North Korea.

The South Korea Navy, in a statement declared: “This exercise was prepared to demonstrate the strong will of the South Korea-US alliance to respond to North Korean provocations.”

North Korea earlier carried out ballistic missile test in the peninsula, thus, creating fresh tension.

National Daily gathered North Korea had earlier in the month, “revised its nuclear weapons law, enshrining a “first strike” doctrine and vowing never to give up its nukes.”

North Korea’s ambassador at the United Nations, Kim Song, had protested that the joint military exercises in the Korean peninsula draw “serious concern.”

Kim Song had argued before the UN General Assembly (UNGA) that “Obviously, this is an extremely dangerous act of igniting the fuse to drive the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of war.”

Kim noted at the UN that the United States “compelled” action by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

He declared: “The US should clearly understand that its heinous, hostile policy against the DPRK over the past 30 years has brought about today’s reality and ask itself and ponder how far it will prolong this situation.”

The US was said to have deployed about 28,500 troops to protect South Korea from the North.

The South Korean navy disclosed that the four-day exercise on the east coast will involve over 20 war ships and an assortment of aircraft, which will conduct drills for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare operations, tactical manoeuvres and other maritime operations.

Advertisement

Kwak Kwang-sub, a senior South Korean naval officer, in the statement indicated: “through this exercise, we will further improve the ability to conduct joint operations between the naval forces of the two countries.”

China had “noted” the joint military drills in the Korean peninsula, including  the missile test by the north on Monday; advocated for “dialogue and consultation”.

Spokesman of the foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, had at a routine media briefing, cautioned: “the main issue is that the North Korean side’s legitimate and reasonable concerns have not received due response.

“The US should shoulder its own responsibilities, stop confrontation and pressure, and create conditions for the resumption of meaningful dialogue.”

The President of South Korea had expressed fear of another missile test by North, saying it has detected signs that  North Korea  is preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile.