North Korea threatens response to South Korea-US drills — Korea Herald

North Korea said it intends to respond to the joint military exercises of South Korea and the United States currently underway on the Korean Peninsula, as well as to separate US-Japan maneuvers. Pyongyang described the exercises as a show of force by states it considers hostile, Korea Herald reports.

Pyongyang's statement

In an English-language comment distributed by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korea said it would apply a principle of counteraction based on strength. The DPRK also claims that the allies' military activity threatens its security interests and regional strategic stability.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Pyongyang criticized Seoul, stating that South Korea allegedly does not conceal the aggressive and provocative nature of the exercises. In its comment, North Korea stressed that it would strengthen its own defense capabilities in response to what it called repeated provocations by the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Hoguk exercises

South Korea began the annual Hoguk field exercises involving US forces on Monday. They will continue until October 30. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US Forces Korea are taking part in the maneuvers to improve interoperability with the South Korean military. On the same day, Japan and the United States began the large-scale Keen Sword exercises.