North Korea claims 800,000 people enlist in the army in one day to fight the US
The country’s state media said on Saturday that about 800,000 people signed up to serve in the North Korean military in one day.
North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun reports that 800,000 students and workers signed up to fight the US on Friday, just a day after North Korea launched a ballistic missile in the sea between South Korea and Japan. The total included many North Koreans who wanted to re-enlist, the paper said.
“The growing enthusiasm of the youth to join the army is a demonstration of the unshakable will of the younger generation to ruthlessly exterminate the war maniacs who are making their last attempts to destroy our precious socialist country, and carry out the great cause of national reunification without failure and a vivid manifestation of their fiery patriotism,” writes the state newspaper.
A recruitment campaign in North Korea and a missile launch followed in the footsteps of the US and South Korea. 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 ‘WARNING’
North Korean state media claims that on Friday, 800,000 citizens expressed their desire to enlist or re-enlist in the North Korean armed forces. (AP)
Kim Jong-un’s regime expressed outrage at the joint US-South Korean military exercises. (Central Korean News Agency/Korean News Service via AP)
US AND SOUTH KOREA HOLD NORTH KOREA, PENTAGON SAID HOURS AFTER NORTH KOREA ICBM LAUNCH
South Korea and Japan estimate that on Sunday, the Kim regime launched another ballistic missile that flew about 500 miles over the country and landed in the sea off its eastern coast.
There were no reports of casualties from the launch, and Japan says the rocket landed outside its exclusive economic zone.
North Korea has cited joint US-Japanese-South Korean military exercises as the reason for its launches, vowing to respond to such operations with “extremely powerful” force.
The Pentagon, meanwhile, says such operations have proved successful in deterring North Korea.
“I think it’s important for people to understand, first, that containment continues to work,” Brig said. Gene. Pat Ryder told reporters last week. “Despite launching missiles into the ocean, North Korea is not attacking and should not be, 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 nations safe.”
The US, Japanese and South Korean militaries conduct numerous joint operations. (Ministry of Defense of South Korea via AP)
Tank K1A2 of the South Korean army moves during military exercises with US troops. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-jun)
The increased aggression of North Korea in the region was reflected China’s own aggression against Taiwan.