Kim Jong Un slams South Korea-US military drills while inspecting his most powerful warship
Kim's visit to the western port of Nampo on Monday came as the South Korean and U.S. militaries kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercise to bolster readiness against growing North Korean threats. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, which the allies describe as defensive, will mobilize 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training.
North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint drills as invasion rehearsals and Kim has often used them to justify his own military displays and testing activities aimed at expanding his nuclear weapons program.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war, divided by the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea and South Korea.
While inspecting the warship Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton-class destroyer first unveiled in April, Kim said the allies' joint military drills show hostility and their supposed 'will to ignite a war,' the North's Korean Central News Agency said. He claimed that the exercises have grown more provocative than before by incorporating a 'nuclear element,' requiring the North to respond with 'proactive and overwhelming' countermeasures.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Cabinet panel on security clears project to procure 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for IAF
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) approved the procurement of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). A senior defence official confirmed that the project had been cleared by the CCS, calling it a major boost to the government's Make in India initiative. The aircraft will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This marks the second order for the indigenous LCA Mark 1A fighters. In February 2021, the government had placed an order for 83 aircraft worth about ₹48,000 crore. The programme will enable the IAF to phase out its ageing MiG-21 fleet, which is scheduled to be retired in September this year. According to officials, the project will not only strengthen indigenisation but also generate significant business for small and medium enterprises in the defence sector. However, the development comes at a time when questions remain over HAL's ability to meet delivery timelines for the 83 LCA Mk-1As already on order. In March this year, HAL received the first U.S.-made GE engine for the programme. Earlier, in August 2021, the company had signed a ₹5,375-crore contract with GE Aerospace for 99 F404 engines to power the Tejas Mk-1A. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently held a phone conversation with U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during which both leaders reviewed ongoing and upcoming initiatives to deepen defence cooperation.
Economic Times
4 hours ago
- Economic Times
War games or war signals? Kim Jong Un vows nuclear expansion, brands US-South Korea drills a rehearsal for war
Synopsis North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to accelerate the expansion of his nuclear arsenal, condemning US-South Korea military exercises as hostile. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which Seoul and Washington describe as defensive, have been branded by Pyongyang as war rehearsals. Kim's warning comes as tensions rise globally with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea is also advancing its naval capabilities, unveiling new nuclear-capable destroyers while refusing any move toward denuclearisation. AP Kim Jong Un. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Korean state media KCNA reported on Tuesday that Kim Jong Un had instructed his military to move quickly to expand the country's nuclear weapons programme. His statement coincided with the start of joint United States-South Korea military said the drills were 'an obvious expression of their will to provoke war.' He described them as 'a clear expression of … their intention to remain most hostile and confrontational' to North to KCNA's English translation, Kim added that the 'security environment required us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearisation.'The United States and South Korea began the Ulchi Freedom Shield this week. The 11-day exercise will see about 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, take part in large-scale field manoeuvres and computer-simulated Korea's Defence Ministry said the drills are similar in size to last year but have been adjusted, with 20 out of 40 field training events rescheduled to September. Officials explained the change as part of President Lee Jae Myung's effort to ease tensions with the North, though many analysts remain sceptical that Pyongyang will view it as a conciliatory step. For Pyongyang, the nature of the drills is unchanged. Kim warned that the exercises have 'always been provocative and dangerous in their nature but the gravity is increasing from the characteristics that they are recently plotting military nexus with the nuclear element involved.'North Korea has carried out six nuclear tests since 2006 and rejects calls to abandon its programme. It continues to insist that joint military exercises are rehearsals for Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said: 'Through this move, North Korea is demonstrating its refusal to accept denuclearisation and the will to irreversibly upgrade nuclear weapons.'A study by the Federation of American Scientists suggested North Korea may have produced enough fissile material for up to 90 nuclear warheads, though the number actually assembled is thought to be closer to US maintains around 28,000 troops in South Korea. Later this month, President Donald Trump and President Lee Jae Myung are expected to meet in Washington, with efforts to contain Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions high on the his nuclear programme, Kim is pushing forward with modernising the navy. On Monday, he inspected the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-tonne destroyer unveiled earlier this year at the port of media said the vessel is being fitted with anti-air and anti-ship systems as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. North Korea is also planning to complete a third destroyer by October next hailed the warship as a step towards extending the range of his military and strengthening its ability to launch pre-emptive strikes. During his inspection, he ordered further performance tests in October and praised the progress of weapons Korean Peninsula has remained technically at war since 1953, when the Korean War ended with an armistice but no peace treaty. Despite periods of attempted diplomacy, relations between North and South have steadily Lee recently said he would seek to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions, but that pact collapsed last year when both sides accused each other of comments come at a time of heightened global instability. Russia continues to use nuclear threats in its war against Ukraine, while the Middle East remains unsettled after the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 and subsequent regional conflict involving North Korea's ally, has also weighed in. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing: 'We hope that the relevant parties can see squarely the deep-rooted cause and crux of the peninsula issue and make joint efforts to uphold peace and stability in the peninsula and promote the political settlement of the issue.'The Ulchi Freedom Shield drills are scheduled to continue until 28 August. The exercises include new training elements shaped by lessons from recent conflicts, such as Russia's war in Ukraine and the Israel-Iran confrontation, with a focus on drone threats, cyber warfare and GPS now, Pyongyang's stance is unbending. Kim's warning, delivered against the backdrop of a destroyer equipped for nuclear strike, makes clear that his government has no intention of stepping back from its weapons programme.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
World's biggest stablecoin issuer appoints US President Donald Trump's former digital assets advisor
Tether Holdings SA has appointed Bo Hines , the former head of US President Donald Trump 's digital assets advisory council , as a strategic advisor. Hines will help coordinate the company's expansion into the United States. Tether, an El Salvador-based company that is also the world's biggest stablecoin issuer, stated that Hines will begin his new role immediately. A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to mirror the value of assets like government-issued cryptocurrencies, commodities, or other cryptos, however, its stability isn't guaranteed. Earlier this month, Hines resigned from his position as head of the White House Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets. Hines, a former college football player with two previous congressional runs in North Carolina, had little visibility in crypto or policy circles before his nomination in the Trump administration. During his tenure, he oversaw the Trump administration's first crypto summit and played a role in advancing the Genius Act , which is aimed at establishing guardrails for stablecoins. What Tether said about appointing Trump's former digital asset advisor In a statement to Bloomberg, Paolo Ardoino, Tether's chief executive officer, said: 'Bo's appointment demonstrates our commitment to building a strong U.S.-based presence that spans across multiple sectors, starting with digital assets and expanding to new opportunities, including a deep focus on potential further investments in domestic infrastructure.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Best SIP Plans for NRIs in Spain – Get ₹2L Monthly Pension | Invest ₹18K PB Learn More Undo Last month, Ardoino also confirmed that the company is planning to launch a stablecoin, which will be targeted at US institutions later this year. Tether, like several other crypto firms, has been working to strengthen its presence in Washington. The reserves backing its $167 billion stablecoin USDT are managed by Cantor Fitzgerald LP , which Howard Lutnick headed until he became Trump's secretary of commerce earlier this year. Coinbase Global Inc. also brought on David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign and longtime aide to Barack Obama, as a senior adviser in June. A month earlier, Andreessen Horowitz, one of the sector's most prominent investors, appointed Michael Reed, previously a senior adviser to House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, as a government affairs partner. Redmi 15 5G Unboxing and First Look: What's New and Key Specifications AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
