'Nuclear war rehearsal': North Korea to strengthen deterrent after US-South Korea drills

Tensions between the two Koreas have also risen following a border mine explosion in September.

North Korea has vowed to speed up efforts to strengthen its nuclear deterrent, accusing the US and South Korea of conducting a joint military exercise that amounted to a “nuclear war rehearsal” against Pyongyang, state media KCNA reported on Monday.Kim Jong Sik, a deputy department director in the ruling Workers’ Party, said the Iron Mace exercise demonstrated that Washington remained committed to its “wild ambition to stifle North Korea with nukes”. He added that such threats were “escalating with each passing day”.The US and South Korea conducted the Iron Mace exercise from September 29 to October 2. The drills were aimed at integrating US nuclear capabilities with South Korea’s conventional forces, according to Seoul’s military, according to Reuters.Kim said the exercise, along with other joint military activities by the two allies, highlighted the need for North Korea to strengthen its nuclear forces at a faster pace.Analysts said it was unusual for Kim, a senior official involved in North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, to issue a statement outlining the country’s nuclear policy. Such statements are more commonly made by the defence or foreign ministry.

Tensions between the two Koreas have also risen following a border mine explosion in September. North Korea later threatened to resume loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts towards the South by the end of October. South Korea’s military said on Monday there were no confirmed indications that Pyongyang had carried out the threat.