North Korea threatens South Korea and the United States with nuclear attack
North Korea, on the eve of the largest-ever joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, has called the exercise a provocative act and threatened a nuclear strike on the two countries. Washington has reacted calmly to the threat.
The communist regime of North Korea has sharpened its tone toward its southern neighbor ahead of the start of US-South Korean military exercises.
North Korea's National Defense Commission accused the United States on Monday (March 7) of engaging in "the most blatant nuclear war drills" and preparing for an attack on North Korea.
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Pyongyang has issued a statement in this regard, threatening to "launch a nuclear attack on the enemy."
The statement also states that in addition to locations on South Korean soil, points in the United States are also among the targets, and that North Korea "only needs to press a button to turn all the provocateurs' bases into a sea of fire and ash."
The North Korean Ministry of Defense has also threatened that if the slightest sign of an attack from the enemy is felt, "the North Korean army and people will seize this opportunity and fulfill the greatest desire of the Korean people by waging a just holy war for the unification of North and South Korea."
Kim Jong-un, leader of the North Korean regime
South Korea and the United States have begun their multi-week joint military exercise, which is held every spring, despite Pyongyang's sharp threats.
The latest joint South Korean-US drills include a two-month land exercise called "Young Eagle" and a 12-day command training called "Key Resolve."
The joint command of the exercise, while rejecting North Korea's accusations, stated that the purpose of the exercise is not to prepare for an attack on North Korea and that the exercise is "non-provocative in nature."
According to media reports, about 17,000 American and 300,000 South Korean soldiers are participating in the exercise. Joint exercises between the two countries have also been a source of tension in recent years.
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This is not the first time North Korea has threatened the two countries with a nuclear attack. Three years ago, Pyongyang threatened to target the United States with a nuclear attack.
Experts, however, doubt that North Korea has the necessary facilities and capabilities to carry out such an attack.
Washington has also responded calmly to these threats. According to a US Defense Department official, North Korea has not yet proven that it can equip an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead.
He added: "Beyond that, US forces are fully prepared to repel such attacks if necessary."
