North Korea's tall claim that 8,00,000 civilians ready to join military to counter US

North Korea has stated that roughly 800,000 civilians, including students and workers, have offered to enlist in their military to combat the United States, reported CNN. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, a North Korean state-run publication, stated that this number consists solely of students and workers who are eager to join the military to counter the US.

North Korea made this claim following the launch of its Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, which was in response to the joint military exercises between the US and South Korea. 

The missile launch took place during the South Korea-US Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, which North Korea has criticised as "preparations for a war of aggression" against them, according to Yonhap News agency. 

North Korea confirmed the missile launch and stated that it was a "stronger warning" to the US and South Korea for their provocative and aggressive large-scale war drills.

In the state news agency, KCNA, North Korea said: "Under the grave situation in which the most unstable security environment is being created in the Korean peninsula due to the frantic, provocative and aggressive large-scale war drills conducted by the US and the south Korean puppet traitors against the DPRK, the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WK) saw to it that a launching drill of the ICBM Hwasong Pho-17 was conducted on March 16."

"The launching drill of the strategic weapon serves as an occasion to give a stronger warning to the enemies intentionally escalating the tension in the Korean peninsula while persistently resorting to irresponsible and reckless military threats in defiance of the DPRK's severe warning, and give an understanding of the concern about the armed conflict which has come to a threatening reality, and to more clearly show the practical will of the Party and government of the DPRK to counterattack with overwhelming offensive measures anytime," the statement added.

Kim oversees the launch

Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, personally oversaw the launch of an ICBM unit during a drill. In attendance were senior officials from the WK Central Committee and commanding officers from the Missile General Bureau, who witnessed the launch in the presence of Kim Jong-un himself.

The purpose of the drill was to verify the reliability and operational readiness of North Korea's nuclear war deterrent system in mobile and normal conditions.

"The ICBM Hwasongpho-17, launched at the Pyongyang International Airport, travelled up to a maximum altitude of 6,045km and flew a distance of 1,000.2 km for 4151s before accurately landing on the preset area in the open waters of the East Sea of Korea," the statement added.