August 11, 2023 13:44
North Korean leader Kim Jon-un has called for his country to prepare "in an offensive manner" for a possible war, state media said Thursday.
Kim made the call at a meeting of the Workers Party as South Korea, the U.S. and Japan prepare to meet at Camp David later this month.
Kim "deeply summarized and analyzed the present situation of the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity and made an important conclusion on further stepping up the military's war preparations in an offensive way," the offical [North] Korean Central News Agency said.
Kim stressed the need for a strong military to preempt the enemy's use of military power and subdue various kinds of enemy offenses in a war.
State media carried a picture of Kim pointing a finger at Seoul and Gyeryongdae military headquarters in central South Korea on a map.
The threat seems to be a preemptive response to upcoming joint South Korea-U.S. military drills, a government official here said.
The North also announced a plan for a "military parade by civilian defense forces" on the regime's 75th anniversary on Sept. 9. This will be a third military parade this year after the 75th army founding anniversary on Feb. 8 and the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice on July 27.
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