Latest news with #PakJongChon
NHK
12-08-2025
- Politics
- NHK
North Korea conducts artillery drill before US-South Korea military exercises
North Korean media say the country's military has conducted an artillery firing drill. This comes ahead of the start of planned US-South Korea exercises on August 18. The media reported Tuesday that artillery units carried out the drill on Monday, and that it was overseen by Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, among other officials. They also said the drill was conducted in line with a plan to fully prepare for battle, and that the high combat capability of the units was verified. The media said the drill demonstrated "the strong will of the army to thoroughly contain military gangsters" on the other side of the border and defend the country's security and sovereignty. The US and South Korea will hold regular joint exercises in South Korea from August 18, simulating a possible emergency on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea's defense minister, No Kwang Chol, issued a statement through state media on Monday. He said the country will exercise its right to self-defense against any provocation. South Korean media say the North's artillery drill is part of the countermeasures against the joint exercises between US and South Korean forces.
UPI
12-08-2025
- Politics
- UPI
North Korea holds artillery drills ahead of U.S.-S. Korea joint exercise
North Korea held an artillery firing contest, state-run media reported Tuesday, one week ahead of a large-scale U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise. A similar firing drill, shown here, was conducted by the North in May. File Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE SEOUL, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- North Korea conducted artillery firing drills to boost combat readiness, state-run media reported Tuesday, as the United States and South Korea prepare to kick off a large-scale joint military exercise. A firing practice contest of tactical artillery sub-units was held on Monday under a "combat drill plan of the [Korean People's Army] General Staff for perfecting the capability to fight a war and battle readiness of the entire army," the official Korean Central News Agency reported. The KCNA report said the participants hit and destroyed targets "in the course of mastering rapid mobile and surprise operations and ... steadily increasing the efficiency and operation of the artillery weapon systems." The drills "served as an occasion to demonstrate the strong will of the army to thoroughly contain military gangsters in the land adjacent to the border," KCNA said. Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the ruling party's Central Military Commission, oversaw the contest. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who usually supervises the military's artillery firing drills, did not attend. The contest came a week before Seoul and Washington are scheduled to launch their summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise, set for Aug. 18-28. Pyongyang regularly denounces the allies' joint drills as rehearsals for an invasion. North Korea's defense chief on Monday condemned Ulchi Freedom Shield and warned of "negative consequences." The North will "strictly exercise the sovereign right of the DPRK at the level of the right to self-defense in a case of any provocation going beyond the boundary line," Defense Minister No Kwang Choi said in a statement. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea. The allies have repeatedly stressed that the exercises are defensive in nature. On Monday, a representative of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command said that No's statement was relatively restrained. "If you actually look at North Korea's statement, it's a little bit tame compared to historical norms," the representative told reporters in a background briefing. The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has been making efforts to improve frayed relations with Pyongyang. Last week, the South's military removed loudspeakers that had been installed along the DMZ to blast anti-Pyongyang messages across the border. On Saturday, North Korea began removing its own speakers in some forward areas, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Half of Ulchi Freedom Shield's 44 planned field training exercises have been rescheduled to next month, with military officials citing a heatwave and flooding damage to training areas as the primary reasons. Local media have reported that the move was also made to help Seoul's bid to mend ties with the North.
Arab News
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Moscow security chief discusses Ukraine with North Korea's Kim Jong Un
MOSCOW: Russia's security chief Sergei Shoigu discussed the Ukraine conflict with North Korea's Kim Jong Un on a visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday, Moscow's embassy in the reclusive state said. North Korea has become one of Russia's main allies during Moscow's more than three-year-long Ukraine offensive, sending thousands of troops to help the Kremlin oust Ukrainian forces from its Kursk border region. Pyongyang is also largely believed to be arming Russia. 'Sergei Shoigu was received by the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un,' the embassy said, adding that they 'exchanged views on the situation around the Ukrainian crisis and the Korean peninsula.' It said talks took place 'in an atmosphere of friendly mutual understanding.' Shoigu also met with North Korean military official Pak Jong-chon, the embassy said. Russia's TASS news agency said earlier that Shoigu had arrived on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Wednesday's visit is Shoigu's second to Pyongyang in less than three months. Pyongyang has defended its military cooperation with Russia, saying on Monday that ties were aimed at 'ensuring peace and stability' in Europe and Asia. Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, citing the country's intelligence service. Russia and North Korea signed a sweeping military deal last year, including a mutual defense clause, during a rare visit by Putin to the nuclear-armed North. Shoigu hailed the deal as 'fully meeting the interests of both countries' during a visit in March.
