North Korea’s leader has asked for naval reinforcements over the “risk of nuclear war,” the regime’s official communications channel said Tuesday, as Seoul, Washington and Tokyo conduct joint naval exercises.
Kim Jong-un criticized the increase in trilateral cooperation between the “gathered gang leaders” of the United States, South Korea and Japan. reported the official North Korean news agency (KCNA), referring to the recent summit in Camp David (US), where North American President Joe Biden received his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
This was the first time that the leaders of the three countries met at an independent summit.
Kim Jong-un accused Washington of being “more agitated than ever” about joint naval maneuvers and the continued deployment of strategic nuclear assets in the waters around the Korean peninsula, according to KCNA.
“Due to reckless confrontational actions by the United States, among other hostile forces, the waters around the Korean Peninsula have been forced to become the world’s most concentrated war material hotspot, the most unstable waters at risk of nuclear war,” Kim said.
“The rapid development of naval strength has become a matter of great urgency given recent attempts at enemy aggression,” he said.
North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun showed Kim Jong-un, in a photo with his daughter, inspecting the naval command.
The US, South Korea and Japan have stepped up defense cooperation in recent months and launched a joint naval anti-missile defense exercise to counter rising threats from nuclear and ballistic missiles in Pyongyang.
The exercise, conducted in international waters off the South Korean island of Jeju, involved destroyers equipped with Aegis radar systems from the three countries, the South Korean navy said in a statement.
The US and South Korea will hold large-scale military exercises annually until August 31, fueling Pyongyang’s anger.
North Korea has conducted a record number of weapons tests this year and last week made a second failed attempt to launch a spy satellite into orbit.
Source: DN
