
S. Korea-US Military Drill Shadowed By N. Korea Threats
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 22, 2016 | 03:41 PM

SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -22nd Augst,2016) - South Korea and the United States kicked off large-scale military exercises on Monday, triggering condemnation and threats of a pre-emptive nuclear strike from North Korea. The two-week annual Ulchi Freedom drill, which plays out a full-scale invasion scenario by the nuclear-armed North, is largely computer-simulated but still involves around 50,000 Korean and 25,000 US soldiers. The exercise always triggers a spike in tensions on the divided Korean peninsula, and this year it coincides with particularly volatile cross-border relations following a series of high-profile defections.
Seoul and Washington insist the joint military drills are purely defensive in nature, but Pyongyang views them as wilfully provocative. The North Korean Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned Ulchi Freedom as an "unpardonable criminal act" that could bring the peninsula to "the brink of war". The Korean People's Army (KPA), meanwhile, threatened a military response to what it described as a rehearsal for a surprise nuclear attack and invasion of the North. North Korea's frontline units were "fully ready to mount a preemptive retaliatory strike at all enemy attack groups involved," said a spokesman for the KPA General Staff.
Related Topics
Recent Stories

Sharjah Ruler issues Emiri Decree to establish Sharjah Design Centre

Experts discuss efforts to accelerate clean energy transition in aviation at GIS ..

Usman Qadir decides to settle, play in Australia

Pregnant woman died, daughter injured in passenger coach’s accident with motor ..

UAE leaders congratulate Iranian President on National Day

ADNOC Distribution reports record EBITDA for FY 2024

Arab Parliament emphasises importance of legislation to drive digital transforma ..

World Governments Summit 2025 opens with record global participation

5.2 magnitude quake hits Morocco's Ouezzane province

Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 11 February 2025

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 11 February 2025

UN suspends its humanitarian work in Yemen's Saada after more staff abductions
More Stories From World
-
New Zealand rethinks opposition to deep-sea mining
13 minutes ago -
Gucci owner Kering says sales, profit plunged in 2024
23 minutes ago -
Trump signs executive orders for steel, aluminum tariffs to start March 12
53 minutes ago -
World leaders seek elusive AI common ground at Paris summit
1 hour ago -
Playgrounds come alive again with Brazil school phone ban
1 hour ago -
Duterte's future in balance as Philippine election season kicks off
2 hours ago
-
'So fast': NY subway shove survivor captures commuter fears
2 hours ago -
US prosecutors ordered to drop New York mayor corruption case: reports
2 hours ago -
US judges challenge Trump cuts as legal battles mount
2 hours ago -
Could a climate megaproject cloud Chile's unparalleled views of universe?
2 hours ago -
Venezuela sends planes to fetch irregular migrants in US
2 hours ago -
Australia PM says Trump considering steel tariff exemption
3 hours ago