Kim Jong un fiercely criticizes joint military exercises between the United States, Japan, and South Korea: the United States turns the waters of the Korean Peninsula into dangerous waters for nuclear war
On the 30th, the South Korean Air Force conducted a joint air exercise with US B-1B strategic bombers and others over the western part of the Korean Peninsula. This is the 10th joint exercise between the South Korean military and US strategic bombers this year. The day before, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong un strongly criticized the joint military exercises between the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 29th, on the occasion of North Korea's Navy Day, Kim Jong un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Council, inspected the People's Army Navy Command on the 27th and delivered a speech to congratulate all officers and soldiers of the naval armed forces. Kim Jong un affirmed the importance of the navy in his speech and strongly criticized the recent meeting between US, Japanese, and South Korean leaders at Camp David. He said, "Due to the reckless confrontational activities of hostile forces such as the United States, the waters of the Korean Peninsula have now become the world's largest gathering area for war equipment and the most unstable dangerous area for nuclear war.".
Kim Jong un: The North Korean Navy is on high alert and fully prepared for combat
Kim Jong un said, "The current situation requires our navy to make every effort to prepare for war, be vigilant, frequently prepare to thwart the enemy's will to war when necessary, and implement the military strategy of the Supreme Command.".
According to an analysis by Yonhap News Agency, this is the first time since Kim Jong un took office that he has inspected naval forces on "Navy Day". This is also the second appearance of Kim Jong un's daughter, Kim Jong il Ai, in North Korean official media after more than three months.
South Korea: North Korea feels a sense of crisis towards strengthening security cooperation among the three countries
On the 29th, officials from the South Korean Ministry of Unification stated that Kim Jong un's demotion of the leaders of South Korea, the United States, and Japan as "thug leaders" reflects North Korea's sense of crisis towards strengthening security cooperation among the three countries.
The White House has not responded positively to Kim Jong un's latest speech.
White House Spokesperson Caroline Jean Pierre:
The dialogue window with North Korea is still open, and we hope to have a dialogue. There is nothing special to say about the speech.
United States, Japan, and South Korea hold joint missile defense exercises
On the 29th, Yonhap News Agency quoted sources from the South Korean Navy as saying that the South Korean and US navies and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force held a tripartite joint missile defense exercise in international waters south of the Korean Peninsula, including three destroyers equipped with the Aegis system, South Korea's "Kuriya Lier" destroyer, the United States' "Benford" destroyer, and Japan's "Hanyu" destroyer. The exercise simulates the scenario of North Korea launching ballistic missiles, with a focus on practicing the processes of three countries' warships detecting, tracking virtual missile targets, and sharing intelligence.
In order to establish a real-time sharing mechanism for North Korean missile warning information agreed upon at the South Korean, US, and Japanese leadership meeting within the year, the three countries also inspected the relevant sharing system on the same day.
South Korean and American special forces hold joint maritime infiltration exercises
At the same time, special forces from the South Korean Army Special Operations Command and the US Special Operations Command stationed in South Korea conducted a joint sea infiltration exercise in Xiangyang County, Gangwon Province on the 28th. As part of the "Shield of Freedom" joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, more than 100 South Korean and American special operations personnel participated in the exercise. After completing the sea infiltration training, South Korean and American soldiers will return to their base and continue various training programs such as close range combat techniques and special strike operations until mid next month.
The United States and South Korea began conducting the "Shield of Freedom" military exercise last week, and Pyongyang has long condemned such exercises as a rehearsal for war.
New Media of China Central Television's Mandarin Global Program Center
