Arab News Japan

TOKYO: North Korea says the military exercises being conducted by the United States, South Korea and Japan around the Korean Peninsula are training for an invasion and nuclear war.

Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong, the Deputy Director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, described the exercises as “a meaningless waste of power” and warned of future consequences.

“The reckless power-boasting behavior shown by the United States, Japan and South Korea around the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will always bring bad results for themselves,” she said in a speech.

The three countries are holding the Iron Mace and Freedom Edge military exercises. According to Park Chung-Cheon, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the former “is a comprehensive and aggressive invasion war exercise that hones the integrated operation of US nuclear forces and South Korea’s conventional armed forces.”

Freedom Edge has been reported as a three-way air and maritime exercise involving units from the US, South Korea, and Japan in waters off eastern and southern Korea with maneuvers that include air defense exercises, medical evacuation, maritime interdiction and stepping up ballistic missile defense capabilities.

“The reckless military movements of the United States, Japan and South Korea in the Korean Peninsula, the world’s largest hotspot, are a serious challenge to our national security interests and a major risk factor that harms regional stability and increases military tensions,” Park said.

Park added that “the current situation proves that constantly stockpiling strategic forces that can thwart the invasion attempts of hostile forces and eliminate military dangers is the best choice for the security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”