Originally published at Judgenap.com and reprinted with permission
Pyongyang issued a harsh statement condemning trilateral war games led by the US. The US, Japan, and South Korea kicked off the Iron Mace and Freedom Edge military drills on Monday.
Pak Jong Chon, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea said on Saturday, “The reckless military moves of the US, Japan and the ROK on the Korean peninsula, the world’s hottest spot, pose a grave challenge to the security interests of our state and a major danger of undermining regional stability and escalating military tension.”
“The US and its allies are gradually undermining the security environment of the Korean peninsula through the expansion of exclusive military blocs and consecutive war drills. Their worrisome movements are calling for reinforcement of war deterrent and maintenance of thoroughgoing war posture,” he added.
The Freedom Shield drills will run from Monday through Friday near Juju Island. Concurrent to the Freedom Shield, the US, South Korea and Japan will conduct the Iron Mace war games. Iron Mace will prepare for nuclear warfare.
Pak said North Korea would take countermeasures. “I stress that if the hostile forces persist in their muscle-flexing, the DPRK will respond to them with counteraction in a clearer and more intensified way,” he said, according to KCNA.
The US military said the war games would be “the most advanced demonstration of trilateral defense cooperation to date.”
