North Korea ‘Reserves Right’ to Preemptive Action
In response to an ongoing military drill organized by South Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang has said it "reserves the right to undertake a preemptive action for self-defense against the enemy, at a crucial time it deems necessary to defend itself."In response to an ongoing military drill organized by South Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang has said it “reserves the right to undertake a preemptive action for self-defense against the enemy, at a crucial time it deems necessary to defend itself.”
Although the South holds a similar drill annually, tensions have been hot in the region because of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. North and South Korea have a combined total of about 1.9 million troops, most stationed near the border.
BBC News:
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...According to the official KCNA news agency, Pyongyang described the drills as “an undisguised military threat” and a “war action”.
US and South Korean troops began the military exercises on Monday.
The drills are an annual event, and the North usually issues a strongly-worded statement against them.
But this year, tensions are higher than normal because of international anger at the North’s recent decision to test-fire a series of missiles.
This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.