N. Korea warns of 'ruthless' retaliation over S. Korea-US military drills
A “peace flash mob” of civic activists gathered in front of Seoul City Hall Monday, demanding that the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills by South Korean and U.S. forces be stopped. The exercises, which began on Aug. 21 and will last until 31, involve 17,500 U.S. servicemen and about 50,000 South Korean personnel. North Korea has denounced the drills as a rehearsal for an invasion, and on Tuesday threatened to retaliate. / Yonhap
North Korea's military threatened Tuesday that it is ready to stage ruthless retaliation against South Korea and the United States over their ongoing joint military exercises.
North Korea's military stationed at the truce village of Panmunjom said that the U.S. has ignored its warning to make the right choice, warranting Pyongyang's merciless punishment, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"The U.S. should take the whole responsibility for catastrophic results from its reckless war game as it choose to make a military confrontation with us," its spokesman said in a statement.
South Korean and U.S. troops kicked off their 10-day joint military drills on Monday, involving some 17,500 U.S. servicemen and about 50,000 South Korean forces.
Pyongyang has denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invasion despite reassurances by Seoul and Washington that they are defensive in nature.
North Korea routinely issued warnings before and during the allies' drills, but this year it came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Pyongyang following exchanges of bellicose rhetoric.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week held off on missile threats toward the U.S. territory of Guam after U.S. officials dismissed the risk of an imminent war with the North.
But he vowed to make an "important" decision if the U.S. continues its "extremely dangerous reckless actions" on the Korean Peninsula, apparently referring to the military exercises. (Yonhap)