Nearly 800,000 people signed up to join North Korea’s military in a single day, the country’s state-run media claimed on Saturday.
According to North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, 800,000 students and workers signed up to fight the US on Friday, just a day after North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea between South Korea and Japan. The total included many North Koreans looking to re-enlist, the newspaper noted.
“The rising enthusiasm of young people to join the army is a demonstration of the unshakable will of the younger generation, the war-obsessed, who are making last-ditch efforts to eliminate, mercilessly annihilate our precious socialist country and achieve the great cause of national reunification without fail fail and a clear manifestation of their fierce patriotism,” wrote the state-run newspaper.
North Korea’s recruitment campaign and missile launch came as the US and South Korea began joint military exercises last week. The 11-day Operation Freedom Shield 23 began on March 13 and will last 11 days.
NORTH KOREA SAYS ICBM LAUNCH WAS A ‘WARNING’
North Korean state media claim that 800,000 citizens expressed a desire to enlist or rejoin the North Korean military on Friday. (AP)
Kim Jong Un’s regime has expressed outrage at joint US-South Korean military exercises. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
US-SOUTH KOREA DRILLS DETER NORTH KOREA, PENTAGON CLAIMS HOURS AFTER NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES ICBM
Kim’s regime fired another ballistic missile on Sunday, which South Korea and Japan estimates flew some 500 miles across the country and landed in the sea off its east coast.
There were no reports of injuries from the launch, and Japan says the missile landed outside of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
North Korea cited joint military exercises between the US, Japan and South Korea as the reason for its launches and vowed to respond to such operations with “overwhelming force”.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon argues that such operations have proven to be a successful deterrent to North Korea.
“I think it’s important for people to understand that deterrence continues to work,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters last week. “Although North Korea is firing missiles into the ocean, North Korea is not and should not be attacking, and that the United States, Japan, South Korea and other allies and partners in the region will continue to work together to expand this deterrence and keep our countries safe.” .”
The US, Japanese and South Korean militaries are conducting several joint operations. (South Korean Defense Ministry via AP)
A South Korean army’s K1A2 tank moves during a military exercise with US forces. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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North Korea’s increased aggression in the region mirrors China’s own aggression towards Taiwan.
Source : www.foxnews.com