Tag: South Korea

Categories
-Top News News World News

Seoul Concerned Over Growing N.Korea-Russia Military Ties

The White House has revealed that the North provided Russia with military equipment, munitions and ballistic missiles, some of which were fired at Ukrainian targets on December 30, January 2 and January 6.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul has expressed concerns over growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, saying it could potentially help Pyongyang’s ability to “threaten security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond”.

Cho made the remarks on Friday during a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the Ukraine issue at UN headquarters in New York on the eve of the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Yonhap news agency reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch center in the Russian Far East on Sept. 13, 2023, in this photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (Photo:IANS/Yonhap)

“If and when it turns out to be the case that North Korea receives in return, whether advanced military technology or oil shipments exceeding limits under Security Council resolutions, this would redound to North Korea’s ability to threaten security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond,” he said.

“Both dimensions of this nexus constitute unequivocal violations of multiple UNSC resolutions and undermine the global non-proliferation regime,” he added.

The White House has revealed that the North provided Russia with military equipment, munitions and ballistic missiles, some of which were fired at Ukrainian targets on December 30, January 2 and January 6.

In return for the arms provision, Pyongyang has been seeking military assistance from Russia, “including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armoured vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or materials, and other advanced technologies”, according to US officials.

“My government is deeply troubled by the emerging military cooperation between Russia and North Korea,” Cho said. “North Korean munitions and missiles have been sighted in Ukraine, which not only aggravates the human suffering but also risks further escalating and prolonging the war in Ukraine.”

Noting the UNSC’s “inherent shortcomings and current constraints”, Cho said it is imperative for the council to devise “effective strategies to navigate these complexities to fulfil its fundamental duty of maintaining international peace and security”.

“I wish to reaffirm Korea’s commitment as a member of the Security Council to actively contribute to realizing this goal,” he said.

Cho also highlighted that as a country that also experienced war in the 1950s, Korea knows “all too well what it means to suffer from military aggression”.

“Korea firmly believes that aggression must not go unanswered,” he said. “As a nation — all too familiar with the agonizing consequences of armed conflict, Korea has a profound sense of empathy with the plight of the Ukrainian people.”

ALSO READ: Russia Hit By 500 New Sanctions From US Over Navalny, Ukraine

Categories
-Top News Asia News Politics

Kim Jong-un Urges Constitutional Strengthening Against South Korea

North Korean leader emphasised the need to strengthen education programmes to instill in North Koreans “the firm idea that the ROK is their primary foe and invariable principal enemy….reports Asian Lite News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged the revision of the country’s Constitution to strengthen “the firm idea that the South Korea is their primary foe and invariable principal enemy,” Yonhap News Agency reported.

President Yoon Suk Yeol responded strongly to Kim’s hostile rhetoric, pledging to punish North Korea “multiple times” if it provokes South Korea. In a speech delivered during a key parliamentary meeting on Monday, Kim announced a departure from the decades-long policy of seeking reconciliation and unification with South Korea, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“In my opinion, we can specify in our Constitution the issue of completely occupying, subjugating and reclaiming the ROK and annex it as a part of the territory of our Republic in case of a war breaks out on the Korean peninsula,” Kim stated, using the acronym for South Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea.

He emphasised the need to strengthen education programmes to instill in North Koreans “the firm idea that the ROK is their primary foe and invariable principal einstilnemy.”

Kim’s harsh rhetoric was part of his broader stance, defining relations with South Korea as those between “two states hostile to each other” during a year-end party meeting. Labelling the consideration of Seoul as a partner for reconciliation and unification a “serious anachronistic mistake,” North Korea decided to abolish three agencies promoting inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation at the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) session.

The agencies include the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, the National Economic Cooperation Bureau, and the Kumgangsan International Tourism Administration.

During the SPA meeting, Kim ordered measures to eliminate symbols of inter-Korean reconciliation, describing them as “remnants of the past era.” This includes the physical severance of cross-border railway tracks and the dismantling of a monument in Pyongyang commemorating Kim Il-sung’s blueprint for federation system-based unification, according to Yonhap News Agency.

“We should … take other measures so as to completely eliminate such concepts as ‘reunification,’ ‘reconciliation,’ and ‘fellow countrymen’ from the national history of our Republic,” Kim declared.

Amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, triggered by North Korea’s recent weapons tests, including a hypersonic missile launch, concerns have risen about suspected arms trade between North Korea and Russia. The North’s foreign minister is currently in Moscow for talks, indicating deepening military cooperation.

North Korea is expected to stage provocative acts in the lead-up to South Korea’s parliamentary elections in April and the US presidential election in November.

Addressing North Korea’s nuclear weapons in his parliamentary speech, Kim asserted that his country would not avoid war but had no intention of unilaterally starting it unless provoked.

“As the southern border of our country has been clearly drawn, the illegal ‘Northern Limit Line’ (NLL) and any other boundary can never be tolerated, and if the ROK violates even 0.001 millimetres of our territorial land, air, and waters, it will be considered a war provocation,” Kim warned.

North Korea does not recognise the NLL, the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, demanding its relocation farther south as it was unilaterally drawn by the US-led UN Command after the 1950-53 Korean War.

The North fired hundreds of rounds of artillery shells near the tense sea border in the Yellow Sea earlier this month, prompting the South Korean military to carry out live-fire drills in response.

“The war will terribly destroy the entity called the Republic of Korea and put an end to its existence. And it will inflict an unimaginably crushing defeat upon the US,” Kim emphasized.

During the year-end party meeting, Kim urged heightened war readiness to deter what he referred to as “unprecedented” acts of US-led confrontation against his country. In his recent inspection of munitions factories, he threatened to annihilate South Korea if Seoul attempts to use force against the North.

South Korea’s unification ministry suggested that behind Kim’s antagonistic messages lies North Korea’s anxiety about regime stability and fears of unification by absorption.

“Amid difficulties aggravated by UN sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea may intend to boost its hostility against South Korea to deflect internal complaints to outside,” a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The official added that North Korea also seems to be engaging in psychological warfare to drive a wedge in South Korean society by shifting the responsibility for heightened security tensions onto the South.

In a Cabinet meeting early Tuesday, President Yoon urged South Koreans to join hands to “defeat” the deceptive tactics and propaganda of the North Korean regime. Yoon also assessed Kim’s message as an acknowledgement of the regime’s nature as an “anti-national and anti-historical group,” Yonhap News agency reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Israel, Saudi: Same Goal, Different Ways

Categories
-Top News Asia News

South Korean Military Detects Back-to-Back Missile Launches from North Korea

North Korea fires an intercontinental ballistic missile, in this file photo released by its state media on Nov. 19, 2022.(Yonhap/IANS)

North Korea fired a short-range missile from in or around Pyongyang at 10:38 p.m. Sunday, and it flew about 570 km before splashing into the East Sea, according to the JCS…reports Asian Lite News

North Korea fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Monday, the South Korean military said, just hours after it launched a short-range missile, amid speculation the latest one could be an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch but did not give further details, Yonhap news agency reported.

North Korea fired a short-range missile from in or around Pyongyang at 10:38 p.m. Sunday, and it flew about 570 km before splashing into the East Sea, according to the JCS.

The back-to-back missile launches came after South Korea’s First Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said a few days earlier that the North could fire an ICBM within this month.

The firings also came days after Seoul and Washington held the second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and agreed to complete the establishment of guidelines on the planning and operation of a shared nuclear strategy by the middle of next year.

Just after Sunday’s launch, the North’s defence ministry lambasted the NCG meeting as “an open declaration on nuclear confrontation” and criticized the U.S.’ deployment of major military assets to the Korean Peninsula this year.

The North’s latest sabre-rattling also came amid heightened tensions after Pyongyang scrapped a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce tensions and prevent accidental clashes along the border last month.

Seoul had partially suspended the deal in protest of the North’s successful launch of its first military spy satellite on Nov. 21.

The North last fired a ballistic missile on Nov. 22, but the launch apparently failed, according to the JCS.

ALSO READ-US, S Korea, Japan reaffirm N Korea’s denuclearisation obligation

Categories
-Top News Asia News UAE News

UAE, Korean FMs Review Regional Developments

The two top diplomats reviewed the regional and international efforts towards de-escalation and ensuring the sustainable and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians…reports Asian Lite News

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed with Park Jin, Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea, the ongoing developments in the Middle East region and the efforts to protect all civilians.

In a telephone conversation, the two top diplomats reviewed the regional and international efforts towards de-escalation and ensuring the sustainable and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians. They also explored ways to end extremism, tension, and escalating violence in the Middle East region.

The two ministers affirmed the importance of prioritising the protection of lives and civilians from the fallout of the crisis, and the need to find political solutions to de-escalate the situation and boost the humanitarian response to ensure the needs of civilians are met.

Sheikh Abdullah and Park Jin also discussed a number of topics related to the strategic relations between their countries.

Few weeks ago, UAE and South Korea have concluded their negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Dukgeun Ahn, Minister of Trade for the Republic of Korea, concluded the talks.

A UAE-Korea CEPA will reinforce East-West supply chains, facilitate two-way FDI flows, and enhance joint research and knowledge exchange across a range of sectors, including energy, advanced manufacturing, technology, food security and healthcare.

The bilateral deal comes amid advancing trade exchange between the two nations. In the first half of 2023, bilateral non-oil trade reached US$3 billion, which is consistent with H1 2022 and up 21 percent in the same period in 2021.

The UAE is Korea’s second-largest Arab trade partner, while Korea is the UAE’s eleventh-largest trading partner among non-Arab Asian countries.

At the Presidential Summit in January 2023, the two nations signed a number of memoranda of understanding, including the ROK-UAE Trade and Investment Promotion Framework to pursue optimal trade collaboration strategies, covering areas such as supply chains, digital trade, logistics, business environment and technical barriers to trade, and a U$30 billion plans to invest in strategic sectors of the Korean economy.

In April this year, all four units of the US$20 billion Barakah Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, constructed by the Korea Electric Power Corporation in a consortium that included Hyundai, Samsung, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power, and Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, became operational, with the capability of meeting up to 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs.

ALSO READ: UAE President Congratulates Erdogan on Turkey’s Centennial

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

US carrier Ronald Reagan to visit South Korea in show of force

The carrier, which is expected to remain in Busan until Oct. 16, will strengthen the defense posture of South Korea and the United States…reports Asian Lite News

The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is due to dock at the South Korean port of Busan on Thursday, as Seoul warned of a greater threat from North Korea and held joint maritime drills with the United States and Japan.

The carrier, which is expected to remain in Busan until Oct. 16, will strengthen the defense posture of South Korea and the United States in case of any North Korean provocations, South Korea’s defense ministry said.

The Ronald Reagan last visited South Korea in 2022 for the first time in about four years, joining other military vessels in a show of might intended to send a message to North Korea.

North Korean state media KCNA on Tuesday criticized the deployment of US strategic assets, including submarines and bombers, in the Asia-Pacific region while defending its plans for a spy satellite program as “indispensable.”

Pyongyang has failed twice to place a spy satellite in orbit, in May and August, and has vowed to try again as early as October.

South Korea’s defense minister Shin Won-sik told reporters on Tuesday that South Korea faces a more severe threat from North Korea, according to news agency Yonhap.

The visit of the carrier comes after the United States pledged to enhance the “regular visibility” of its strategic military assets in the Washington Declaration, which President Yoon Suk Yeol and US leader Joe Biden issued during a summit in April.

The South Korean and US navies held joint maritime drills with Japan’s defense force in waters near South Korea’s Jeju Island on Monday and Tuesday, the South Korean navy said.

The drills, which are the first of their kind since 2016, are aimed at deterring and responding to North Korea’s “advancing nuclear and missile threats,” the navy said in a statement.

A meeting was also held on the carrier on Sunday, attended by South Korea’s Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Kim Myung-soo and his US and Japanese counterparts, to discuss countermeasures to Pyongyang’s “underwater threats” as well as its nuclear and missile programs.

ALSO READ: Its Not A Video Game: Ramaswamy On Nikki Haley’s Hamas jibe

Categories
-Top News Asia News India News

India will become global leader, says South Korea envoy

The Delhi declaration was adopted unanimously on Saturday the first day of G20 leaders summit with complete approval from China and Russia….reports Asian Lite News

India has shown the world that it is ready and will become a “global leader in the future”, said South Korean ambassador Chang Jae-bok while lauding New Delhi’s “tremendous” work in reaching a G20 declaration.

When asked about the fact that the New Delhi declaration does not mention direct criticism of Russia for its war against Ukraine, The envoy said the “consensus requires some kind of compromise otherwise” there won’t be any declaration.

“Russia and China are both members of the G20 summit. So consensus requires some kind of compromise. Otherwise, we would not have any declaration. I want to convey our appreciation to India. They have done a tremendous work in preparation of declaration,” the envoy said.

“India has shown to the world that India is ready. It will become global leader in future,” he added.

The Delhi declaration was adopted unanimously on Saturday the first day of G20 leaders summit with complete approval from China and Russia.

Praising India for being a fantastic host during the G20 presidency: the envoy said: “Big congratulations to India. You have been a fantastic host. We are truly grateful. We are happy that the G20 declaration was adopted to tackle challenges and various crises such as global competition, climate change, soaring prices, and poverty.”

The declaration did not mention Russia while calling for peace in Ukraine. Ukraine. the paragraph in last year’s G20 declaration adopted in Bali condemning Russian “aggression” in Ukraine.

Critics have claimed that G20 has been watering down its statement on the Ukraine conflict.

However, India has rejected these claims, saying many things have happened since the Bali declaration last year.

After the adoption of G20 declaration, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said, “Regarding the change in language on the Russia-Ukraine conflict from the Bali Declaration – Bali is Bali, New Delhi is Delhi. Many things have happened since the Bali Declaration.”

During the press conference, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant described the negotiations as “very very tough and ruthless”, however, there was 100 per cent consensus. (ANI)

South Korea to provide $4 bn loan to India

South Korea will provide USD 4 billion to India as a line of credit over the next three years for “high-value” projects, the country’s envoy Chang Jae-bok announced on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, the envoy told reporters that President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a discussion on the matter during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Sharing details of the meeting, the envoy said the two leaders agreed to improve strategic communication and cooperation.

They also discussed expanding defence cooperation between the two countries, Chang said.

“On the economic front, they welcomed the Electronic Origin Data Exchange System coming up later this year. It is going to make bilateral trade and investment much smoother,” the South Korean ambassador to India added.

“The EECF or Economic Development Corporation Fund framework agreement is in the works. It could be used to build in India. It will also allow Korean companies to be involved in high-value projects here,” he said.

South Korea will provide the loan under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). South Korea announced this fund in 1987 to promote economic cooperation with developing countries.

Asked about details on EECF, the envoy expressed hope that India will be able to develop infrastructure with the help of EECF money.

“Our assistance involves loans and grants. India and (South) Korea have agreed that we will provide the initial amount of 4 billion US dollars from 2023 to 2025 to realise projects. Some projects have already started. These include the Intelligent Transport System on the Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project. It will be a loan,” he said.

PM Modi and President Yoon also agreed to strengthen space development cooperation. The envoy informed that two leaders were scheduled to speak for 20 minutes but the discussion stretched to over 40 minutes.

“They had a quite extensive discussion. Our president also raised the issue of facilitating ease of doing business in India,” he said.

“President Yoon and Prime Minister Modi agreed to improve strategic communication and cooperation. Our countries are co-partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” he informed reporters.

President Yoon appreciated India’s G20 presidency and expressed his gratitude for the host country arranging a bilateral meeting. Both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence. K9 Vajra is an example of our defence partnership. It is designed by a Korean company.

South Korea is “totally committed” to expanding its defence cooperation with India, the envoy added.

“On the successful touchdown of the Chandrayan-3 lander on the moon, PM Modi and President Yoon agreed to strengthen space development cooperation,” he mentioned. (ANI)

ALSO READ: G20 India: Shaping A More Inclusive World Order

Categories
-Top News Asia News Politics

South Korean Intelligence Monitors Kim-Putin Summit Plans

This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands for a summit in Vladivostok on April 26, 2019.(Yonhap/IANS)

The New York Times report said a delegation of some 20 North Korean officials traveled to Vladivostok in late August…reports Asian Lite News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may opt for an unexpected route when he travels to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Earlier this week, The New York Times had reported that Kim plans to travel to Vladivostok, possibly by an armoured train, later this month for talks with Putin about the possibility of supplying Russia with more weaponry for its ongoing war in Ukraine and other military cooperation.

“As it was revealed to the New York Times, there is a possibility of Kim Jong-un making a surprise move by choosing a different route than what is expected,” Yonhap News Agency quoted an NIS official as saying during a parliamentary intelligence committee meeting on Thursday.

During the meeting, NIS Director Kim Kyou-hyun said the agency is closely monitoring the planned visit and sharing intelligence with other national spy agencies as a summit between the North and Russia would have a big effect on the international situation.

The New York Times report said a delegation of some 20 North Korean officials traveled to Vladivostok in late August.

“One potential stop for Mr. Kim after Vladivostok, an official said, is Vostochny Cosmodrome, a space launch centre,” said the report, noting North Korea may be seeking to secure advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines from Russia in exchange of its weapons.

ALSO READ-Kim Jong-un’s Possible Meeting with Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

N.Korea Fires Several Cruise Missiles Into Yellow Sea

South Korea and the US wrapped up the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise on Thursday. The North has denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea on Saturday, Seoul’s military said, days after South Korea and the US wrapped up their major joint military drills.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced the North Korean launch took place at around 4 a.m. but did not elaborate further, pending an analysis, Yonhap news agency reported.

“While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States,” the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.

South Korea and the US wrapped up the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise on Thursday. The North has denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

As part of the UFS, South Korea and the US have staged combined air drills, involving at least one US B-1B strategic bomber, above the Korean Peninsula.

In response, North Korea launched a military command post drill involving the scenario of occupying South Korean territory and fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its east coast earlier this week.

North Korea claimed that the missile launch on Wednesday night was a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating “scorched-earth” strikes against major command centres and airfields in South Korea.

In March, North Korea said it launched strategic cruise missiles “tipped with a test warhead simulating a nuclear warhead”.

ALSO READ: North Korea warns US of Nuclear war

Categories
Africa News Cricket Sport

S. Africa Achieves Gender Pay Parity in Cricket

Not only will women’s international players earn the same match fees as their male counterparts, but the women’s domestic leagues will also be professional…reports Asian Lite News

South Africa have become the latest country to provide equal pay across genders, after they announced their male and female cricketers would receive the same match fees for international matches.

The Proteas join New Zealand and India as countries to have previously revealed pay parity across the genders and comes on the back of the landmark announcement from the ICC earlier this year that saw equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at ICC events.

Leading figures from cricket across the country gathered in Tshwane on Tuesday to announce an updated structure to their domestic women’s competition and equal pay for both male and female players at international level.

The changes to match fees for South Africa’s women’s cricketers will commence next month when they travel to Pakistan for a six-match white-ball tour against the Asian side.

The latest development from South Africa comes on the back of a highly successful 18 months for the national women’s team, which saw them reach the semifinals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in 2022 and then make it all the way through to the final when hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup at the start of this year.

Not only will women’s international players earn the same match fees as their male counterparts, but the women’s domestic leagues will also be professional.

The new domestic structure takes its framework from the existing 16-team, two-tier set-up, which is divided into a top six and a bottom ten, with the latter being split into two groups of five each with a promotion-relegation system in place.

Top six teams will now be allowed to contract up to 11 players – five more than the previous six that were allowed – and will also be able to add more full-time coaches and support staff to their set-up.

The top six teams will compete in a 50-over and a 20-over competition, with the shortest-format matches likely to be played on the same days as the men’s competition to increase visibility.

“The professionalisation of the women’s domestic structure aims to elevate the women’s cricketing landscape by providing a platform for local talent to shine, fostering a culture of sporting excellence, while inspiring the next generation of players,” Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki said.

“With the success of South African cricket on the global stage, we believe that this will be a stepping stone for local talent, creating an environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a deep love for the sport.

“Professionalising the women’s domestic structure has been met with enthusiasm from fans, players, and sponsors alike. We call on brands to continue showing their support for women’s cricket, recognising the league’s potential to redefine the narrative around women in sports in the country,” he added.

ALSO READ: James Graham’s ‘Dear England’ Comes to West End Oct 9
Categories
-Top News Asia News

Kim Jong-un inspects navy unit amid annual military exercises

Seoul : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) watches a sports event with his daughter and other top officials on Feb. 17, 2023, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (Yonhap/IANS)

Photos carried by the North Korean state media showed a missile firing from Patrol Ship No. 661, with Kim observing the scene aboard a separate vessel…reports Asian Lite News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a navy unit and inspected a cruise missile test aboard a warship, as South Korea and the US began their annual joint military drills, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Monday.

Kim visited the Navy flotilla tasked with defending the east coast and watched the seamen on a patrol ship stage a launching drill of “strategic” cruise missiles, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without disclosing the date of his visit.

“At the drill aimed to reconfirm the combat function of the ship and the feature of its missile system and make the seamen skilled at carrying out the attack mission in actual war, the ship rapidly hit target without even an error,” Yonhap News Agency quote the KCNA report as saying.

Photos carried by the North Korean state media showed a missile firing from Patrol Ship No. 661, with Kim observing the scene aboard a separate vessel.

Kim vowed to strengthen the North’s navy to make it an “all-round and powerful” service group with improved combat efficiency and modern means of surface and underwater offensive and defensive capabilities, the KCNA said.

Meanwhile, South Korea and the US kicked off the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise on Monday, featuring various contingency drills, such as the computer simulation-based command post exercise, concurrent field training and Ulchi civil defense drills.

The exercise will run until August 31.

Kim’s inspection came amid expectations that North Korea could carry out major provocations, such as the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), in a bid to protest the joint military drills.

The North has long denounced the Seoul-Washington military exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion.

ALSO READ-S Korea calls on China to stop repatriating North Korean defectors