As the Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military drills begin near the Korean Peninsula, North Korea's Kim has threatened "merciless revenge" against the "US Imperialists and South Korean war maniacs" for ignoring his warnings. North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reports that:
The US imperialists and the South Korean war maniacs launched the Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military drills aimed at a preemptive attack on the DPRK.
Despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, they have kicked off the war in the pretext of resolving "countering" the "provocation by the north." This is aimed at igniting a nuclear war on the Korean peninsula at any cost.
What is more serious is the fact that on the eve of the war exercises, American troops, including US Pacific Commander and Strategic Commander, flew to the South, contributing far more US troops from overseas, as well as seven vassal states including Australia and Britain.
The Korean peninsula has plunged into a critical phase due to the reckless north-targeted war racket of the war maniacs.
As Bloomberg notes, KCNA further cites an unidentified military spokesman as saying it would be a misjudgment for the U.S. to think that North Korea will “sit comfortably without doing anything” during the U.S.-South Korea joint military drills.
Ongoing drills and visits of U.S. military officials to South Korea create the circumstances for a "mock war" on the Korean peninsula, KCNA says.
U.S. can’t avoid "merciless revenge" by North Korea.
U.S. should never forget North Korea is watching its moves closely with "fingers on triggers, ready to pour a fire shower of penalties at any time"
Additionally, adding further tension, Yonhap reports that three top U.S. military commanders plan to issue a "strong warning message" to North Korea in a rare joint press availability here later Tuesday, officials said.
Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris, Strategic Command head Gen. John Hyten and Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves are scheduled to hold a press conference at a local U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) base. It's quite unusual for the U.S. commanding generals serving abroad to gather in South Korea and release public statements together.
It apparently reflects Washington's alertness against North Korea's rapid development of nuclear bombs and missiles.
Given the fact that the US Navy has had two 'accidental collisions' with slow-moving vessels in recent months, what are the chances this all ends without incident?