North Korea threatens military countermeasures against ongoing US-SKorea 'provocations'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared on Thursday that Pyongyang would continue to take action against military provocations by the US and South Korea, whose governments continue to be "openly hostile" to North Korea. This comes in the background of the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as reported by TASS. (DPRK is an acronym of North Korea’s official name: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).

Kim Jong Un said: "I will keep working to make the United States and South Korea - who are openly hostile to our republic - realise the recklessness of large-scale military exercises, which they frequently hold in the Korean Peninsula zone," as reported by state-run Voice of Korea radio on Friday. 

Kim Jong Un threatens US and South Korea with "countermeasures"

The North Korean leader threatened "countermeasures" against Washington DC and Seoul if they continued their "military provocations" against the DPRK. The specifics of the countermeasures were kept under wraps. In addition, the North Korean leader vowed to "respond to nuclear weapons with nuclear weapons, and to open confrontation with open confrontation".

He urged the nation's strategic forces to keep ready "for armed conflicts and every form of warfare" in this respect. Kim reaffirmed that Pyongyang's ultimate purpose was to prevent war and ensure a peaceful existence.

On Thursday, an ICBM called the Hwasong-17 was launched from a location in Pyongyang. It travelled about 1,000 kilometres, topping out at an altitude of 6,045 kilometers. The missile needed about 67 minutes to reach its intended target in the Sea of Japan. It happened just before the president of South Korea's first trip to Japan after 12 years.

Sea Dragon 23 military exercise

Amidst talks between the leaders of Japan and South Korea to fortify their partnership and alliance with Washington DC in order to counter challenges from China and North Korea, the US, Canada, India, Japan, and South Korea are conducted joint anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres.

The Indian Navy in a statement said: "Ex Sea Dragon 23 will test the capabilities of participating aircraft in tracking simulated and live underwater targets, whilst also sharing mutual expertise." The statement further read: "The Exercise aims to achieve high levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific."

In a tweet, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said, "Sea Dragon Begins in Guam."

Sea Dragon🐉 Begins in Guam🛫
🇯🇵-🇺🇸-🇰🇷-🇮🇳-🇨🇦
Read: https://t.co/6X62RwwiGI@US7thFleet @INDOPACOM @US7thFlt @jmsdf_pao_eng @indiannavy @RCAF_ARC #internationalbydesign pic.twitter.com/MEsfBijVLz

— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet)

More than 270 hours of in-flight training, “ranging from tracking simulated targets to the final problem of tracking a US Navy submarine," will be completed as part of the Sea Dragon 23 exercises, which began on Wednesday, according to a news release from the US 7th Fleet. The exercise comes in the background of joint naval drills by Russia, China, and Iran in the Gulf of Oman.