North Korea Criticizes US Military Drills, Threatens Strong Response

Seoul, September 7 (Daily Kiran) : North Korea's Defense Minister Kim Song-gi has sharply criticized the ongoing joint military exercises, 'Freedom Shield,' conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan. He expressed concerns that these maneuvers pose a significant threat to regional security. In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency, Kim warned that if the U.S. and its allies attempt to escalate military confrontations against North Korea, Pyongyang would take 'appropriate and strong countermeasures.' He emphasized that such exercises are pushing instability in the Korean Peninsula and beyond to extreme levels. This public statement marks Kim's first since his appointment as defense minister on August 29, succeeding No Kwang-chol. He also raised objections to the 'Orient Shield' military drills led by the U.S., which include participation from Japan and Australia. Additionally, he questioned the proposed deployment of the U.S. Army's Multidomain Mobile Task Force in South Korea this year. Kim accused the military cooperation among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea of evolving into an aggressive framework that incorporates nuclear elements. He noted that the U.S. has been consistently conducting military exercises in the region. He warned that if necessary, North Korea would respond to its adversaries with even more powerful and decisive actions. Meanwhile, the joint 'Freedom Shield' military exercises commenced on Monday and are set to last for five days. This comes after recent directives from U.S. President Donald Trump limited some major joint military exercises with South Korea. As military collaboration in the region intensifies, concerns are rising about escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Like this: Like Loading…