Military Drills & NK

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea issued a statement Tuesday regarding the ongoing joint military exercise between South Korea and the US. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who has been out of public sight for a week, now appears to be observing the situation and plotting his next moves.

[Pkg]

North Korea's military threatened Tuesday that it is ready to stage ruthless retaliation against South Korea and the United States over their ongoing joint military exercises. In a statement issued by the North Korean military's Panmunjom truce village representative on Tuesday, the North said the U.S. has ignored its warning to act cautiously. North Korea remained silent all day Monday on the first day of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercise between South Korea and the United States. But late at night, the regime unleashed its criticism through its state-run media. The North's Korean Central News Agency called the UFG a practice for a war to invade the North. It argued the situation on the Korean Peninsula faces an unpredictable crisis due to reckless war mongering. The North's Korean Central Television also issued a threat saying the US and South Korea will clearly see the consequences brought about by the fire they started. Meanwhile North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been out of public sight for a week now since he was last seen being briefed on a Guam attack plan on August 14th. Pundits speculate that after putting off the Guam attack plan, Kim is observing current conditions. However experts say a provocation from the North is still very much possible. Last year, Pyongyang fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile on the third day of the UFG.