North Korea is preparing to repel U.S. and South Korean drills

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has sharply worsened. The US and South Korea began large scale military exercises, and North Korea saw them as invasion preparations and put its army on full alert. Pyongyang also announced an imminent test of the Taepodong 2 ballistic missile, raising fears of a new military clash. The article explains why both sides accuse each other of provocations and how this could affect the already tense situation in the region.

A new war between the two Koreas has been threatened. Yesterday, large-scale military exercises by the United States and South Korea began in the south of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea regarded the exercises as preparations for an invasion of the country and put its armed forces on full combat readiness, and also announced the date of a test of the “Taepodong-2” ballistic missile.
About 25,000 military personnel each from South Korea and the United States are taking part in the maneuvers. The stated purpose of the exercises is to defend Korean territory from a possible attack by the DPRK. The military maneuvers, which will last until March 20, include an aircraft carrier and support ships of the U.S. Navy.
The full combat readiness of the DPRK armed forces was announced in an official statement by the command of the North Korean army, distributed yesterday by the KCNA agency. “The Korean People’s Army will deliver a crushing blow to any aggressor who dares to violate the air, land, and sea space of the DPRK by even a step,” the statement says. The threatening statements are accompanied by Pyongyang’s decision to conduct a test of the “Taepodong-2” ballistic missile next Thursday.
Despite the fact that North Korean authorities justified the planned launch by “the development of peaceful space programs,” Washington believes that the true purpose of the upcoming test is to test a missile capable of striking Alaska.
The military exercises conducted by the United States together with South Korea are not a threat to North Korea. This was stated on Monday at a briefing at the U.S. State Department by acting department spokesman Robert Wood. According to him, North Korea’s actions are causing concern not only to the United States and the Republic of Korea, but to the entire international community.
Seoul also says that the exercises do not pose a threat to North Korea, although they coincide in time with Pyongyang’s intention to test the “Taepodong-2” missile.
In response, North Korean leaders claim that any attempts to intercept or shoot it down will lead to war.
Pyongyang emphasizes that because of the military preparations of Seoul and Washington, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has reached the brink of military confrontation.
The United States and the DPRK are formally in a state of war, since the 1950-1953 conflict on the Korean Peninsula ended only with the signing of an armistice agreement. Significant military forces are concentrated in the area of the border between the two Koreas.