North Korea Warns of ‘Terrible Consequences’ Over Freedom Shield Drills
Kim Yo-jong condemns joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea, saying they heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Pyongyang: North Korea issued a sharp warning on March 10 after the United States and South Korea launched their annual joint military exercise, Freedom Shield.
The warning came from Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In a statement published by the state news agency Korean Central News Agency, she said the drills threaten regional security and could lead to “terrible consequences.”
Kim Yo-jong strongly condemned the exercises, accusing Washington and Seoul of provoking tensions on the Korean Peninsula. She described the drills as a “muscle-flexing of hostile forces” near North Korea’s sovereignty and warned that such actions could trigger “unimaginably terrible consequences.”
Pyongyang also stated that it would continue strengthening its military deterrence and destructive capabilities to counter what it sees as external threats.
Kim Yo-jong holds a senior leadership role in the Workers' Party of Korea and is considered a key strategist in the country’s foreign policy messaging, as well as a close political ally of her brother Kim Jong-un.
The annual Freedom Shield drills are among the largest joint exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea. The 11-day exercise involves thousands of troops from both countries and includes computer-simulated command drills and field training across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace. The drills are accompanied by additional field exercises known as Warrior Shield.
Officials in Washington and Seoul say the exercises are defensive in nature and intended to strengthen military coordination between the two allies. However, North Korea has long viewed the drills as rehearsals for a potential invasion.
Pyongyang argues that the scale of the exercises simulates attack scenarios against the country and has often used the drills to justify its nuclear weapons programme and missile development as a deterrent.
The warning comes amid heightened global geopolitical tensions. In recent years, North Korea has deepened ties with Russia and China, while continuing to expand its military capabilities. The country has also carried out multiple missile tests and declared South Korea its “most hostile enemy.”
Analysts say North Korea frequently responds to such exercises with ballistic missile launches, artillery drills near the border, cyber operations or submarine-based missile tests.
The Korean Peninsula remains one of the most heavily militarised regions in the world. The Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war. The border between them is marked by the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Because the conflict remains unresolved, large-scale military drills often trigger sharp diplomatic confrontations and raise concerns about regional stability.
