North Korea threatened indiscriminate nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US mainland if the two allies push ahead with joint military drills scheduled to begin today. The threat to carry out what it described as a “pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice” was made in a statement by the North’s powerful National Defence Commission, citing the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army.
It came just days after leader Kim Jong-Un ordered the country’s nuclear arsenal to be placed on standby for use at any moment, in response to tough new UN sanctions imposed over the North’s fourth nuclear test in January and last month’s long-range rocket launch. Pyongyang has long condemned the drills as provocative rehearsals for invasion, while Seoul and Washington insist they are purely defensive in nature.
