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North warns of 'self-defense' measures against planned South-U.S. military exercise

Published: 11 Aug. 2025, 10:42

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Jan. 29 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting a nuclear material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute at an undisclosed location in North Korea. [EPA/YONHAP]

North Korea's defense chief on Monday warned that Pyongyang would exercise its "self-defense" right in the event of a provocation, denouncing a planned large-scale joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States.

North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol issued the warning a week before Seoul and Washington are set to kick off their annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise from Aug. 18 to 28, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"We strongly denounce the U.S. and the ROK for their provocative moves of clearly showing the stand of military confrontation with the DPRK," the defense minister said, accusing the allies of undermining the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and warning of "negative consequences."

North Korea's military "will cope with the war drills [...] with thoroughgoing and resolute counteraction posture and strictly exercise the sovereign right of the DPRK at the level of the right to self-defense in a case of any provocation going beyond the boundary line," he warned.

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, while ROK means the Republic of Korea.

No described the UFS as both "a direct military provocation" against North Korea and "a real threat" that would heighten the unpredictability of the security situation on the peninsula, warning it will have "a boomerang effect," plunging South Korea-U.S. security into "a less safe situation."

The minister also cited the UFS as "the main reason" the situation on the peninsula is "changing negatively day by day," adding, "It is the absolute mission" of the North Korean military "to contain offensive movements of the enemy states, counter their military provocations and defend the security of the state and the peace of the region."

This year's UFS exercise has been partially adjusted, with about 20 of the originally scheduled 40 drills postponed to next month due to what military officials cited as the ongoing heat wave and flood damage, as well as Seoul's apparent bid to improve ties with North Korea.

Adjusting the UFS has been a key focus in inter-Korean relations since Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, protested the exercise, describing the Lee administration as no different from his hard-line predecessor in a statement last month.

Monday's statement by the defense minister, however, made no mention of the partial postponement.

Yonhap