Kim Yo-jong vows 'all available means' in response to US-led multinational drills

Kim Yo-jong, director of the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee's General Affairs Department, criticized the US-led Pacific Vanguard 2026 exercise as "yet another threatening war game devised by the United States, through and through, for bloc confrontation in the region."

According to KCNA, Kim made the remarks in a statement Thursday, noting that South Korea and Japan have participated in every iteration of the combined military exercises. She said this "suggests that the belligerent military moves led by the United States are being reinforced around the trilateral US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation framework, which is now in full operation."

She went on to say that the primary target of the trilateral military cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea is North Korea, adding that "only a vicious cycle of escalating tensions is being repeated due to the reckless and provocative hegemonic pursuits of the United States."

Describing the remarks as her "personal view," Kim stressed that "the greater the external threats to national security, the more our physical strength will be built up in direct proportion."

She added that "there will be not even the slightest deviation in the course of further developing our nuclear war deterrence." She also threatened that "if it is determined that the military provocations of the enemies have gravely infringed upon the supreme interests of the state, its military sovereignty and the security environment of the region, the armed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will invoke the relevant clauses under their constitutional duty and mobilize all available means."

Pacific Vanguard has been held annually since 2019 under the auspices of the US Navy's 7th Fleet. The multinational maritime exercise involves the navies of South Korea, the United States and Australia, as well as Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Meanwhile, Kim's statement was not carried in the Rodong Sinmun, the Korean Workers' Party organ read by North Korean citizens.