North Korea’s Defence Minister No Kwang-chol has issued a stern warning against the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, scheduled for August 18–28.
In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and cited by Yonhap, No denounced the drills as a “direct military provocation” and a “real threat” to regional stability, accusing the allies of pursuing a policy of military confrontation with Pyongyang. He cautioned that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) would exercise its sovereign right to self-defence in the event of any provocation crossing its “boundary line,” warning of “negative consequences” and a “boomerang effect” that could undermine the security of both South Korea and the United States.
While this year’s UFS has been partially scaled back—with 20 of the originally planned 40 drills postponed due to extreme weather and Seoul’s apparent outreach to Pyongyang—the North’s defence minister made no mention of the adjustments. His remarks mark an escalation from last year, when a similar protest was issued at the spokesperson level.
Responding to the warning, South Korea’s Unification Ministry reiterated that the joint drills are regular, defensive exercises intended to deter war and safeguard peace, adding that Seoul remains committed to “calm and consistent” efforts toward building peace on the Korean Peninsula.
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