Kim Jong Un on Thursday unveiled plans to target South Korea, escalating tensions just days before Seoul’s joint military exercises with the U.S. and ahead of a significant trilateral meeting involving Washington and its Asian allies.
What Happened: North Korean leader emphasized the need for “more powerful strike means for carrying out the mission of war deterrence” during a Central Military Commission meeting, Bloomberg reported citing KCNA.
A photograph released by the state media showed Kim pointing towards the Seoul region on a map, suggesting “plans for offensive military countermeasures” in response to the upcoming joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea.
See Also: Kim Jong Un Amplifies North Korea Weapons Drive For War Preparations
Why It Matters: Historically, North Korea has ramped up its aggressive rhetoric in the lead-up to such exercises. The move has sparked concerns that Kim might conduct weapons tests during the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises scheduled for later this month.
US President Joe Biden is set to discuss strategies to deter North Korea’s nuclear ambitions in an upcoming meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on August 18 at Camp David. This trilateral discussion is anticipated to be a pivotal security dialogue, especially given the leaders’ unified stance against North Korea, concerns over China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, and their condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kim’s aggressive stance comes at a time when the international community, especially the US, South Korea, and Japan, are adopting a tough line against North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. In a previous meeting with Yoon at the White House, Biden had cautioned Kim that any use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic for his regime.
The U.S. has expressed concerns over North Korea’s potential assistance to Russia, especially in the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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