North Korea warned on Tuesday that it would interpret as "
a clear declaration of war
" any interception of its missiles during its test firings over the Pacific Ocean, said the very powerful sister of the North-American leader. Korean, Kim Yo-jong.
"
This will be considered a clear declaration of war against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, editor's note), in the event that a military response such as an interception (of our missiles) takes place during our strategic weapons tests
" , said Kim Yo-jong, quoted by the official North Korean agency KCNA.
“Quick and crushing measures”
“
The Pacific Ocean does not belong to the dominium of the United States or Japan
,” she warned, as the United States and neighboring South Korea prepare to carry out their most important joint military maneuvers in five years.
North Korea "
always stands ready to take appropriate, prompt and overwhelming action at any time
," it added, in a statement, calling recent military drills by Washington and Seoul "
extremely frenetic
."
The statement comes after the two allies announced on Friday that they would hold their largest joint military exercises since 2018 this month to improve their response to a North Korean nuclear attack.
In a separate statement, North Korea's foreign minister on Tuesday accused the United States of "
intentionally
" raising tensions in the region.
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“
The recent joint air exercises (…) clearly show that the project to use nuclear weapons against the DPRK is proceeding at the pace of a real war
”, he denounced.
"
We deeply regret the irresponsible and disturbing moves by the United States and South Korea, which are constantly pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula towards instability,
" the ministry said, also quoted by KCNA.
In addition to the “ Ulchi Freedom Shield
” maneuvers
between American and South Korean forces, which will begin on March 13 for at least 10 days, Washington and Seoul this week held joint aerial exercises with a nuclear-capable American B-52 heavy bomber. .
