The regime led by Kim Jong-un promises "a hell of fire and ashes" on the United States, at start of joint military exercises on with the South on Korean Peninsula. The Philippines stops a North Korean ship and arrests the crew: "We are following the UN guidelines".
Seoul (AsiaNews) - The North Korea government threatened this morning " indiscriminate nuclear attacks" on US territory and South Korea, in retaliation for the annual "war games" that the two armies are involved on Korean territory.
The regime's propaganda has made it clear that the attacks "will be carried out in the name of justice" and called on the parties to "stop threatening the region's stability." These declarations are quite common: last year, at the start of the joint exercises, Pyongyang promised to transform the United States "into a lake of fire."
According to the ministries of defense involved, these "war games" will be "the most impressive in all of history." The military exercises are usually held around March and are divided into two parts. The first phase - "Key Resolve" - lasts 12 days and is almost entirely related to cyber terrorism; the second - "Foal Eagle" - lasts eight weeks and involves the traditional sectors of the army. This year, the scale of the military presence could prolong the second part by a few days.
In fact the US will deploy 15 thousand marines, 2 thousand rangers, an aerial combat brigade, a Navy Mobile Brigade, an aircraft carrier, a fleet of submarines with nuclear capability and the flying refuellers. Korea will deploy almost 300 thousand soldiers, including members of the Special Forces, those of front-line and support divisions. For North Korea, these numbers "represent a clear attempt at invasion".
The military exercises come just days after the approval of a new and tough package of sanctions by the UN Security Council against the Kim regime. Under the terms of the new mandate, on March 5the Philippine Navy has intercepted a North Korean ship and has sequestered it. The freighter "Jin Teng" was blocked in the port of Subic - Northeast of Manila - and the crew was arrested: They will soon be deported.
The Philippine government said that the ship will be delivered to the UN officials in charge of checking whether it contains prohibited material. Manolo Quezon, spokesman of the Presidency, said: "The world is concerned about the nuclear weapons program of North Korea. As responsible members of the UN, the Philippines must do their part to put these sanctions into practice. "