The United States and South Korea have been conducting military exercises in the Korean Peninsula for a long time. The South is an ally of America and the drills are a regular affair. Purpose of such drills is to ensure that both the sides are tuned to the same frequency. That way they can take on any adversary. They plan to conduct the exercise soon and north korea is not in favor of these activities. Kim Yo-Jong issued warnings and cautioned them of dire consequences in case they go ahead with their “self-destructive military drills.” Kim Yo-Jong is the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
She is in her 30s and is gradually becoming a prominent figure within the secretive state. The U.S. and South Korea are determined to proceed with their joint military drills this week. It will be in spite of warnings from the north that such an action could hamper the process of improving relations with its neighbor.
The dangerous military exercises
Kim Yo Jong describes the drills as a threat to the people of North Korean people. She adds that such activities would add to the tensions on the Korean peninsula. Her words were: "The United States and South Korea will face a more serious security threat by ignoring our repeated warnings to push ahead with the dangerous war exercises." Recently there was reactivation of the hotline between Pyongyang and Seoul.
The intention of reopening communication channels was to ease tensions. She made it clear that the military exercises could act as a dampener to the process of a better relationship. In March, a media report indicated that the military drills between the United States and South Korea would be a low-key affair.
North Korea opposes the military exercises
Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo Jong is gradually gaining prominence. After Joe Biden took over as the President of the US, she warned him: "We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land.” She repeated that North Korea opposes the military exercises.
It views them as preparation for an invasion. In her opinion, it is not possible to link war drills and hostility with dialogue and cooperation. There are thousands of American troops positioned in the South. Incidentally, the authorities did scale back the military exercises to facilitate denuclearization. It was a confidence building measure. However, the negotiations between former President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un collapsed in 2019. They had met in Singapore, Hanoi and at the demilitarized zone DMZ in North Korea to evolve a solution but could not arrive at a mutually acceptable formula. It was due to a clash of priorities. Trump wanted denuclearization first while Kim's priority was relief from sanctions.
The military exercise is a rehearsal for an invasion
The United States and South Korea plan to carry out computer-simulated military drills on Aug. 16-26. Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, interprets these as a rehearsal for an invasion. She warned that the North would work faster to strengthen its preemptive strike capabilities. She also said that such an action by the South would push the allies into facing a “more serious security threat.” She appears to have taken a tough stand and said it exposes the hypocrisy of the Biden administration. Kim Yo Jong wants the United States to withdraw its troops and weapons in the South. She says these are necessary in order to ensure peace on the peninsula.
