Sept 7 (Reuters) – North Korea’s newly appointed defence minister, Kim Song-gi, has called the upcoming joint military drills to be held by South Korea, Japan and the United States a provocation, state media KCNA reported on Monday.
Kim also vowed to take “strong and reflective countermeasures” if the U.S. and its allies sought a new military confrontation, in a statement carried by KCNA.
South Korea, Japan and the United States are set to conduct the annual defensive “Freedom Edge” drills from September 9 to 11. They will be held in international waters to the south and east of the South Korean southern island of Jeju, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said last week.
The trilateral exercise comes after U.S. President Donald Trump scaled back a major joint exercise with South Korea last month.
(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim in Barcelona; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
King Charles clarifies status of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, after their return to the UK
The Media Line: Nauru Opens Embassy in Jerusalem, Democratic Republic of Congo To Follow
Assad-era Syrian reactor was configured for nuclear weapons, IAEA chief says
Serbia’s government proposes dissolving Parliament for early election