What's happened
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees military drills in response to US-South Korea joint exercises, demonstrating readiness for potential conflict.
Why it matters
Kim Jong Un's oversight of military drills in response to US-South Korea exercises highlights North Korea's focus on military preparedness and potential escalation of tensions in the region.
What the papers say
The Independent emphasizes Kim Jong Un's call for realistic combat preparation, while Al Jazeera focuses on North Korea's threats of responsible military activities in response to the joint drills. The Japan Times highlights Kim Jong Un's inspection of a new battle tank and his emphasis on combat readiness.
How we got here
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been escalating due to North Korea's missile launches and belligerent rhetoric. The annual joint military exercises between South Korea and the US have been viewed by North Korea as rehearsals for invasion, leading to heightened military activities and threats.
More on these topics
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North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
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Kim Jong-un is a North Korean politician who has been the supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea since 2012.
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The Korean Central News Agency is the state news agency of North Korea. The agency portrays the views of the North Korean government for both domestic and foreign consumption. It was established on December 5, 1946 and now features internet coverage.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea.
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The Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean. Asia-Pacific varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.