N.Korea threatens unprecedented action over S.Korea and US military exercises

North Korea has threatened to unleash unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions if South Korea and the United States carry out planned military exercises in the coming weeks, local media reported.

A spokesperson for North Korea’s foreign ministry issued the warning on Friday before the annual Freedom Shield joint military exercises of South Korea and the US. North Korea accused Washington of stoking tension by conducting earlier drills which included US stealth fighters and a BI-B strategic bomber that can be equipped with nuclear weapons.

The spokesperson reiterated a longstanding claim by Pyongyang that joint exercises between



Washington and Seoul were preparations for an invasion of North Korea, Yonhap reported.

Describing the US-South Korean drills as “their dangerous attempt to gain a long-term military edge” over North Korea, the spokesperson predicted that the situation on the Korean Peninsula “will be again plunged into the grave vortex of escalating tension”.

North Korea issued the statement less than two hours after South Korea announced a joint tabletop exercise with the US next week aimed at honing Washington and Seoul’s joint response to a potential use of nuclear weapons by North Korea, Seoul officials said on Friday.