03/12/2023 23:17 (act. 03/12/2023 23:20)
South Korean soldiers in action ©APA/AFP
South Korea and the US kick off their biggest joint military exercises in five years on Monday. According to their own statements, Seoul and Washington are reacting to the “changed security environment” in the region due to North Korea’s increased aggression with the “Shield of Freedom” maneuver that lasts for several days. Just hours before the planned start of the military drills, North Korea said it was testing two strategic cruise missiles.
A submarine fired the cruise missiles from the sea off the coastal city of Sinpo in the east of the country on Sunday morning, state news agency KCNA reported late on Monday (local time). The test took place shortly before the planned start of the multi-day “Freedom Shield” military exercise. Pyongyang had warned in advance that the maneuvers could be interpreted as a “declaration of war”.
Pyongyang sees these military exercises as a test run for an invasion. Late last year, North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un declared his country a nuclear power. On Friday, KCNA reported that Kim had ordered military maneuvers for a “real war”.
Military tensions on the Korean peninsula have risen sharply recently. The communist leadership in Pyongyang has repeatedly threatened a military escalation in the region. In the face of continued North Korean provocations, South Korea and the United States have increased their defense cooperation.