Kim Yo Jong warns US-South Korea drills could trigger ‘Terrible Consequences’

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated on Tuesday after Kim Yo Jong , the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , criticised the United States and South Korea for continuing their annual joint military exercises, warning that any threat to Pyongyang’s security could bring “terrible consequences.”

Her remarks came a day after the United States and South Korea launched the Freedom Shield , an 11-day command-post exercise involving thousands of troops. The drills are largely computer-simulated and are designed to test the allies’ joint operational readiness, coordination and response to evolving security scenarios on the Korean Peninsula. The exercise is accompanied by field training under the Warrior Shield .

In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said the drills undermine regional stability at a time when the global security environment is becoming increasingly volatile. She also warned that North Korea would continue strengthening its military capabilities, including its nuclear deterrent, to counter what she describes as external threats.

Pyongyang has long condemned joint military exercises by Washington and Seoul as rehearsals for invasion. The allies, however, insist the drills are defensive and aimed at maintaining readiness against potential aggression from the North.

Military exercises remain a routine feature for both sides. While the United States and South Korea conduct joint drills annually, North Korea also regularly carries out its own large-scale military training, missile launches and weapons tests to demonstrate combat readiness and strategic deterrence.

Meanwhile, Lee Jae Myung acknowledged reports that some US missile defence assets stationed in South Korea could be redeployed to support operations in the Middle East, though he said such moves would not significantly weaken the country’s defences against North Korea.

The renewed exchange of warnings underscores persistent tensions on the peninsula amid stalled diplomacy between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul.