N. Korea's Kim raps US-S. Korea drills as attempt to 'ignite war'
Kim made the remarks the previous day as he inspected a weapons system operation test of a 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer that was officially launched in the western port city of Nampho in April. He also called for "rapid expansion" of the country's nuclear arsenal, citing what he called the severe security environment faced by Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency report.
On Monday, Seoul and Washington kicked off the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise to enhance their readiness against threats from North Korea. But about half of the drills were postponed to September in a move seen as part of a conciliatory approach toward North Korea taken by new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
Kim, however, said the annual joint exercise clearly underlines the two countries' "intention to remain most hostile and confrontational" toward North Korea, adding they have been "recently plotting military nexus with the nuclear element involved."
After observing the test of the Choe Hyon destroyer weapons system, Kim expressed satisfaction over progress achieved in making the country's navy "high-tech and nuclear-armed," KCNA said.
Receiving a report on a third 5,000-ton destroyer being built at a Nampho shipyard, Kim said it is "the most important state affairs" to "rapidly develop" the capability of the country's navy to boost national defense, according to the news agency.
The leader said the security environment around North Korea "is getting more serious day by day," adding "the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization."
Pyongyang aims to build the third Choe Hyon-class destroyer by October 2026. The warship visited by Kim on Monday, named after an anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter, is believed to be nuclear-capable, being equipped with supersonic cruise missile systems and tactical ballistic missile systems.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
South Korea President Hints at Prizing Japan Over Tradition, Ahead of Visits to Japan, United States
SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung implied that his decision to visit Japan before the United States shows a willingness to buck convention and reflects a practical diplomacy that prioritizes national interests. Lee hinted at this stance during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Tuesday. Lee is scheduled to visit Japan on Saturday and Sunday and then travel to the United States for a three-day visit from Sunday. It is unusual for a South Korean president to visit Japan before the United States, a key ally. In their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit meeting in June, Lee and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to a policy of steadily improving their countries' ties through close communication, including reciprocal visits of their heads of government. Lee explained that he decided to visit Japan before the United States to 'put into practice' what he and Ishiba agreed on during the June meeting. Quoting a Korean proverb that means, 'Out of sight, out of mind,' Lee stressed the significance of reciprocal visits. 'The more often we see each other, the closer we become and the more trust we can build,' he said. 'I hope the Japanese prime minister will also visit South Korea when his schedule allows, so that we can strengthen our substantive cooperation through frequent exchanges,' he added. Lee also said he intended to exchange views with Ishiba on 'areas of mutual benefit, such as economic and sociocultural issues, private-sector exchanges, the environment and security.' He added that trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea, along with the U.S.-South Korea alliance, 'will be a fundamental axis in the economic and security fields,' indicating he will link his visit to Japan and to the United States to trilateral cooperation.
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
South Korean President Vows to Uphold Agreements with Japan on Comfort Women, Wartime Workers
SEOUL — In an exclusive interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed that he intends to uphold the agreements that previous administrations reached with Japan regarding the issue of so-called comfort women and lawsuits related to former wartime requisitioned workers. Speaking at the presidential office in Seoul on Tuesday, Lee described the presence of Japan as 'extremely crucial' and expressed a strong willingness to strengthen economic and security ties between the two countries. Lee answered questions over about 90 minutes from Shoichi Oikawa, chairman of the board and representative director of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings. Oikawa also serves as editor-in-chief of the Yomiuri group. This was Lee's first interview with a foreign media outlet since he took office in June. 'The presence of Japan is extremely crucial, and I hope the presence of South Korea will also become meaningful to Japan,' Lee said of bilateral relations. 'It is important to work together in areas where cooperation is possible and to seek paths that are beneficial to both sides.' Regarding historical issues such as comfort women and former wartime requisitioned workers from the Korean Peninsula, which have been sources of conflict between Japan and South Korea, Lee said: 'There is no need to stick only to those issues, and there is no need to bury ourselves in them. 'It is necessary to face the facts accurately and make efforts to resolve the issues without causing harm to any side.' In 2015, the administration of then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed with the administration of then South Korean President Park Geun-hye that the issue of comfort women had been 'resolved finally and irreversibly.' The administration of Lee's predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, worked out measures to resolve the issue of former requisitioned workers in 2023. In both cases, Lee's left-leaning Democratic Party strongly opposed these agreements. However, the president has emphasized the importance of Japan-South Korea relations and expressed his intention to maintain the agreements since assuming the presidency. In the interview, Lee reiterated such a stance on the agreements concerning comfort women and measures to resolve the issue of lawsuits over the former wartime laborers. 'It is greatly difficult for the South Korean people to accept the agreements, but they are promises between the countries,' he said. 'Trust is at stake, so it is not desirable to overturn it.' 'On the other hand, we have a responsibility to seriously consider the perspectives of the victims and their families. I hope that South Korea and Japan will engage in serious discussions from a long-term perspective and with a fundamental awareness of these issues,' Lee also said, seeking for Japan to consider the feelings of the South Korean people. Lee is scheduled to visit Japan on Saturday and Sunday, his first trip to the country as president. Regarding the summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba scheduled for Saturday, he said, 'I want to discuss areas where cooperation is possible.' He expressed his intention to talk about the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, security and people-to-people exchanges. The president also stressed the need for frequent reciprocal visits by the leaders of Japan and South Korea. During the interview, Lee referred to the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration issued by the administrations of then Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and then South Korean leader Kim Dae Jung in 1998, applauding it as 'having drawn a new line in Japan-South Korea relations.' Lee also expressed his eagerness to work out a new joint statement. 'I hope we can build a future-oriented relationship by releasing a new declaration on Japan-South Korea relations that will further advance [relations] and overcome [challenges].'
The Mainichi
7 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan, Turkey agree to begin discussions on defense exchanges
ANKARA (Kyodo) -- Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler agreed Tuesday to begin discussions on exchanges between the two nations' defense industries, Japan's government said. At their meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara, Nakatani and Guler discussed the possibility of collaboration in defense equipment and technology as a "potential cooperative field," the Defense Ministry said. They also confirmed their nations will widen defense cooperation while working together toward peace and stability in their respective regions, according to the ministry. The talks came as Japan has been considering buying drones made in Turkey as part of its efforts to strengthen its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Turkey has provided offensive drones to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Nakatani, who already stopped in Djibouti during his three-nation trip from Sunday, became the first Japanese defense minister to visit Turkey. He is set to travel to Jordan on Thursday.
