North Korea denounced a series of military drills conducted by South Korea in the new year, warning that chances of clashes between the two sides will be the highest this year.
The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Seoul began the new year with "self-destructive" acts, referring to Army artillery exercises, naval firing drills and other maneuvers that South Korea's military has recently conducted; warning that South Korean "warmongers" will only face the "most painful moments they cannot even imagine" if they continue to stage confrontational moves against North Korea.
The South Korean Army carried out artillery and live-fire drills, this week, and the Navy also conducted exercises involving warships and aircraft in a bid to strengthen its defense posture against North Korea's "potential provocation".
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on his country's armed forces to intensify efforts to prepare for war, in light of the United States' involvement in "unprecedented" acts of confrontation against Pyongyang. (QNA)
