The North Korean government on Thursday said that its latest missile strikes amid US-South Korea joint drills have simulated 'scorched earth' strikes on Seoul and it has rehearsed an occupation of its rival's territory in the possibility of a conflict.
This comes after a latest provocation by Pyongyang by firing two short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Wednesday after the US reportedly flew a B-1B bomber to the Korean Peninsula as part of field exercises with South Korea. North Korea has protested against joint military drills between Seoul and Washington and sees them as a rehearsal for invasion.
According to observer, the latest disclosure of North Korea's war plans reaffirms its aggressive nuclear doctrine to intimidate its opponents, as relations between US and North Korea become increasingly hostile over the field exercises. The 'scorched earth' practice strikes were aimed towards major command centres and operational airfields in South Korea, says local media.
Referring to US-South Korea drills, the North Korean military said, "(The aerial drill) is a serious threat to (North Korea) as it was just pursuant to the scenario for a preemptive nuclear strike... the KPA will never overlook the rash acts of the U.S. forces and the (South Korean) military gangsters."
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff called the launches by Pyongyang “a grave provocation” that threatens international peace and violates UN Security Council resolutions that ban any ballistic launches by North Korea.
US-North Korea military exercises
The American and South Korean militaries on August 21 began the Ulchi Freedom Shield computer-simulated command post exercise. During this year’s training, slated to end later on Thursday, the allies have included more than 30 kinds of field exercises, such as Wednesday’s joint aerial exercise involving the B-1B aircraft.
Despite oppositions from North Korea, Washington and Seoul officials maintain that their drills are defensive. The US has about 28,000 troops in South Korea. North Korea has openly threatened to use its nuclear weapons first in potential conflicts with South Korea and the US after adopting a new law that authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of situations last year.
North Korea preparing for war
Kim said he would bolster efforts to build powerful warships and modernize shipboard and underwater weapons systems for the North's navy. He called for the country's sailors to build “overwhelming ideological and spiritual strength,” saying that is more important than the numerical or technical superiority of weapons, according to KCNA.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement North Korea's report on its cruise missile tests contained “an exaggeration” and was "not consistent with the facts. It said South Korea's military will maintain firm readiness based on its capacity to overwhelmingly defeat potential North Korean provocations.
According to a report, Kim has called for building more modern missile launch trucks and said there is an urgent need to boost production of large-caliber multiple rocket launcher shells “at an exponential rate" in their preparatioons against war. He said that North Korea must have “an overwhelming military force and get fully prepared for coping with any war” with the power to “surely annihilate” its enemies.
The North Korean leader also underscored the importance of dealing a "heavy eavy blow at the enemy’s war potential and war command center and blinding their means of command communication at the initial stage of operation".
Criticising Pyongyang for openly revealing attacks against South Korea, Seoul said that the North will face “an overwhelming response” by the country and its allies US and Japan if it continues its provocation and military threats.
(with AP inputs)
