North Korea threatens US with ‘powerful measures’ as joint drills begin

In the event that the US continues to hold joint military exercises with South Korea, North Korea has threatened the country with “strong follow-up actions.”

One of the largest joint military aviation drills between Washington and Seoul got underway on Monday and will go on until Friday.

In reaction to the different drills, North Korea has also recently fired off a number of missiles.

This comes in response to intelligence assessments that Pyongyang is getting ready to conduct its first nuclear test since 2017.

North Korea’s foreign ministry declared in a statement that it would consider stronger follow-up actions if the US continued its grave military provocations.

In the ongoing military exercise known as Vigilant Storm, hundreds of planes simulate attacks around the clock.

Early in October, Washington sent a warning to the North by stationing its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, close to the Korean Peninsula and participating in a series of naval drills.

The “unusual” deployment, according to Seoul, demonstrated the South Korea-US Alliance’s “will to respond strongly to any North Korean provocations.” Currently, the airline is operating flights over the Philippine Sea.

The launch of missiles, according to Pyongyang, was a “simulation” of a nuclear assault on the South in October.

The rockets were supposed to be built to deliver tactical nuclear warheads, and they claimed to have successfully simulated hitting South Korea’s military installations, shipping ports, and airports.

Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, declared Pyongyang to be an “irreversible” nuclear power in September and changed the country’s legal framework to permit the use of nuclear weapons in self-defence. It has previously only employed the weapons in the event of an assault.

This year, North Korea has increased the frequency of its missile launches as well; the country has launched more than 40 missiles this year, which is a record.

Pyongyang carried out six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017 despite severe restrictions.