North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reacted to the joint military exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korea, calling for the acceleration of his country’s nuclear program. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim inspected the weapons systems of North Korea’s 5,000-ton destroyer, Choe Hyon.
Speaking at the inspection, Kim claimed that the large-scale exercises, known as “Ulchi Freedom Shield,” demonstrate a hostile stance by the U.S. and South Korea toward North Korea. He also asserted that the drills signal an intention to provoke war, emphasizing that his country must speed up its nuclear weapons development for security reasons. Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea launched the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises yesterday to strengthen their joint defense readiness against potential threats from North Korea.
