While the US continues to increase its military exercises with South Korea, North Korea has threatened that it will take unnamed “offensive action.”
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed the exercises were turning the area into a “huge powder magazine, which can be exploded at any moment” amid escalating tensions on the peninsula.
The remarks were made a day after US bombers with nuclear capability crossed the ocean to participate in joint aerial exercises with South Korean jets.
Pyongyang has already reacted angrily to the use of that specific aircraft because it sees the action as a practice invasion.
In recent weeks, North Korea has frequently tested missiles, some of which have been capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
In a commentary attributed to a scholar, KCNA said: ‘The military provocations by the US-led warmongers have gone beyond the tolerance limit.
‘This reality awaits more explicit stand and answer of (North Korea’s) defence capabilities.’
The news agency added: ‘(North Korea’s) war deterrence will continue to show its responsibility for and confidence in its crucial mission through offensive action.’
The warning comes a month after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister cautioned the US about taking action against their frequent missile tests.
Kim Yo-jong said: ‘We keep our eye on the restless military moves by the U.S. forces and the South Korean puppet military and are always on standby to take appropriate, quick and overwhelming action at any time according to our judgment.’
Meanwhile, US president Joe Biden’s special representative for North Korea has flown to Seoul for talks with allies over the nuclear threat.
Sung Kim met with South Korean foreign minister Park Jin and the country’s chief nuclear negotiator Kim Gunn today.
South Korea’s foreign ministry said Mr Kim would be attending a three-way meeting with Mr Gunn and Takehiro Funakoshi, the nuclear envoy for Japan, on Friday.