North Korea has conducted mass evacuation drills in some of its towns and cities over the last week. These are believed to be in preparation for a possible nuclear war. Pyongyang was not covered by this drill which included blackout exercises when all the lights would be switched off at night time to avoid possible illuminating targets.
This could be a result of escalating tensions between the country and the United States. During a news conference in Seoul, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has cautioned that the American-South Korean alliance will defeat the designs of North Korea.
The alliance can repulse any nuclear attack.
In the opinion of a former South Korean military officer, such exercises are new to North Korea. Apparently, the situation is tense. The last time a similar exercise was held was in 2003, and it covered air raids.
Nuclear powered North Korea not acceptable
Daily Mail UK reports that Mattis has indicated that the United States would never accept North Korea as a nuclear power. He added that the activities of Kim Jong-un, relating to missile and nuclear programs, is leading to increased possibilities of a nuclear war which is not a desirable situation.
Mattis is on a week-long trip to Asia with stopovers in Thailand and the Philippines. He has said that the actions of North Korea have increased the threat to not only its neighbors but to the whole world.
He also added that, in spite of provocations, diplomacy will always be the preferred way to deal with Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-un not willing to budge
When President Donald Trump took over the office, he had declared his intention to solve the problems about North Korea. He was confident of succeeding where his predecessors had failed.
However, things have not gone his way. In spite of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, Kim Jong-un has continued to add to his arsenal.
The regular war of words between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have added a new dimension. They have made the situation more complex. Pyongyang believes that the US plans to overthrow the Kim government, and it needs the nuclear weapons to act as deterrents.
The country has claimed to have developed an ICBM that can strike the United States mainland and has sent missiles flying over Japan, an ally of America. It has also identified a few probable targets and indicated that its missiles can reach the East Coast. These have worsened the situation as the world braces for a possible nuclear war. It is still not too late for leaders put their heads together to resolve the issue across the table.
