(Seoul) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a large-scale artillery drill as the United States and South Korea conduct joint drills, state media reported Friday.
Thursday’s live-fire exercises “aimed at increasing combat readiness and real-warfare capability,” state news agency KCNA reported.
They included border units “that brought the enemy’s capital within their reach,” according to KCNA.
These exercises took place the day after Kim Jong-un’s visit to a training base, located in the west of the country, during which he “expressed his great satisfaction” to see the units “perfectly ready to constantly mobilize for battles,” according to KCNA.
Pyongyang on Tuesday threatened Seoul and Washington to pay a “high price” for their joint military exercises, known as the “Freedom Shield”.
The nuclear-armed North has already conducted weapons tests in response to joint exercises of this nature.
Since the start of the year, Pyongyang has listed South Korea as its “main enemy,” closed agencies dedicated to reunification and inter-Korean dialogue, and threatened war for any violation of its territory “would not be -that 0.001 millimeter”.
For their annual spring military exercises, Washington and Seoul have doubled the number of troops participating compared to 2023, to better prepare to respond to Pyongyang’s nuclear threats which continue to intensify, they said.
North Korea has long condemned these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.
Pyongyang has previously conducted weapons tests in response to joint exercises of this nature.
Seoul said Tuesday its military was fully prepared for possible provocations from North Korea.
In February, the North Korean leader said he would not hesitate to “annihilate” South Korea in the event of an attack.