Kim Jong-un supervises artillery exercises near the South Korean border

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised large-scale artillery exercises in response to joint military exercises U.S It is South Korea began in the area this week, state media reported on Friday.

The live fire exercises took place on Thursday and “seek to increase combat readiness and combat capabilities” stated state press agency KCNA.

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These included the participation of border units”that place the enemy’s capital (in reference to Seoul, ndlr) within their reach,” the agency added.

A joint forces artillery training exercise at an undisclosed location in North Korea, March 7, 2024. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS/AFP) (STR/)

North Korea warned on Tuesday that Seoul It is washington They were going to paya high price” to the large-scale military exercises that began on Monday and urged them to end the “frantic war tests”.

The tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul have increased in recent years, with the multiplication of weapons tests and military maneuvers and an increasingly belligerent speech on the part of the communist country.

In 2024, Pyongyang declared South Korea its “main enemy”, closed the agencies dedicated to cooperation between the two countries and threatened to start a war if a territorial violation of “up to 0.001 millimeters”.

A joint forces artillery training exercise at an undisclosed location in North Korea, March 7, 2024. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS/AFP) (STR/)

From you, U.S It is South Korea They reinforced joint military exercises.

For example, the annual maneuvers that began this week have double the number of troops participating compared to the previous year.

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Its aim is to improve preparedness to respond to growing nuclear threats from the North, these two allied countries said.

North Korea It considers these types of maneuvers as rehearsals for a possible invasion of its territory and usually responds to them with weapons tests.

On Thursday, supervising artillery exercises, Kim said: “great satisfaction”that your units are“fully prepared for constant mobilization in battles”, stated KCNA.

Source: Elcomercio