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North holds firing drills ahead of planned South-U.S. joint military exercises

Published: 12 Aug. 2025, 09:59 Updated: 12 Aug. 2025, 17:25

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter moves at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 7. [YONHAP]

North Korea has conducted artillery firing drills to bolster its combat readiness posture, the North's state media reported Tuesday, as South Korea and the United States prepare to kick off their joint military exercise next week.

Tactical artillery subunits of the North's military conducted a "firing practice contest" Monday in accordance with a combat drill plan from the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North's move comes a week before Seoul and Washington are scheduled to launch their annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, set for Aug. 18 to 28.

North Korea said the firing contest was aimed at "perfecting the capability to fight a war and battle readiness of the entire army."

The firing drills "served as an occasion to demonstrate the strong will of the army to thoroughly contain military gangsters in the land adjacent to the border and reliably defend the security," the KCNA said in an English-language statement.

The latest exercise was overseen by Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the ruling party's Central Military Commission. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not attend.

North Korea has long denounced joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States as rehearsals for an invasion. The allies have said the joint drills are defensive in nature.

North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol warned Monday that Pyongyang will take its "self-defense" measures in the event of any provocation, denouncing Seoul and Washington's planned large-scale military exercise.

Yonhap