{"id":58414,"date":"2021-08-10T00:46:14","date_gmt":"2021-08-10T00:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/08\/10\/n-korea-vows-stronger-attack-capabilities-over-us-s-korea-military-drills\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:21:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:21:55","slug":"n-korea-vows-stronger-attack-capabilities-over-us-s-korea-military-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2021\/08\/10\/n-korea-vows-stronger-attack-capabilities-over-us-s-korea-military-drills\/","title":{"rendered":"N Korea vows stronger attack capabilities over US-S Korea military drills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un<\/a> ripped South Korea for proceeding with military exercises<\/a> with the United States she claimed are an invasion rehearsal and warned Tuesday that the North will work faster to strengthen its preemptive strike capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim Yo Jong\u2019s statement came after South Korean media reported the allied militaries will begin four days of preliminary training on Tuesday before holding computer-simulated drills on Aug. 16-26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim said she was delegated authority to release the statement, implying the message came directly from her brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She described the South\u2019s decision to hold joint exercises despite earlier warnings by the North was an \u201cact of betrayal\u201d that will push the allies into facing a \u201cmore serious security threat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said continuing the drills exposed the hypocrisy of the Biden administration\u2019s offers to resume dialogue over the North\u2019s nuclear weapons program. She said there won\u2019t be stabilized peace on the Korean Peninsula unless the United States withdraws its troops and weapons in the South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim said the North will \u201cspur our efforts to further strengthen our national defense capabilities and (already) strong preemptive strike ability\u201d so that it could swiftly respond to any kind of military action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Korea\u2019s angry reaction to the drills further diminishes South Korean hopes for improving bilateral ties, which rose after the North agreed to reopen long-stalled communication channels with the South in late July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But just days after the lines were restored, Kim warned that the planned military drills between South Korea and the United States will undermine prospects for better inter-Korean ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some analysts say the North\u2019s decision to restore the communication lines was mainly aimed at pushing Seoul to convince Washington to make concessions while nuclear diplomacy remains deadlocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States keeps about 28,000 troops in South Korea to help deter potential aggression from North Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. The allies have yet to officially announce the details of this month\u2019s drills.<\/p>\n\n\n\t