Ready to Take Action Against US-South Korean Military Exercises, North Korean Leader's Brother Warns Not to Try to Intercept Pyongyang's Missiles

JAKARTA - Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday warned North Korea was prepared to take "extraordinary" action against military activities by the United States and South Korea, along with the involvement of US strategic bombers.

In addition, Kim also warned North Korea would regard any attempt by the US to intercept the missiles it plans to launch as a clear declaration of war on the reclusive state, according to North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA).

"As already clarified, we keep an eye on the agitated military movements by the US forces and the South Korean puppet military, always on standby to take appropriate, prompt and extraordinary measures at any time according to our judgment," Kim said in a statement. Times March 7.

Seoul and Washington conducted joint air drills on Monday, involving at least one Washington nuclear-capable B-52H strategic bomber, after a similar exercise on Friday that mobilized U.S. B-1B bombers.

The Allies also plan to hold Exercise Freedom Shield (FS), a computer-simulated command post training exercise, from March 13-23 in a bid to increase deterrence against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

During the occasion, Kim also took issue with news reports about comments by US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral John Aquilino, who a local newspaper report warned on Monday that if North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile toward the Pacific, the US would immediately intercept it.

"It will be considered a clear declaration of war on the DPRK if a military response such as interception takes place against our strategic weapons test, carried out without prejudice to the security of our neighbors in open waters and air that does not belong to US jurisdiction," he warned.

DPRK is an abbreviation of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim previously threatened that North Korea could use the Pacific as a "shooting range" in response to joint military exercises by the US and South Korea.

Meanwhile, analysts say if North Korea follows through on its threat to turn the Pacific Ocean into a "firing range", it will allow the isolated, nuclear-armed country to make technical progress, as well as signal its military resolve.

The roughly 28.500 US troops stationed in South Korea are a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the two countries technically at war.