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Kim Jong Un

SEOUL. — South Korea’s Defence Ministry said yesterday that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sought to show off its striking capability targeting the disputed western sea water by conducting a firing drill last week guided by top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.“Armed forces of DPRK conducted a joint military exercise of ground, naval and air forces on July 4 in Wonsan areas in the East Sea under the guidance of Kim Jong Un,” Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told a press briefing.

It was unusual for the DPRK to make public its drills rapidly, Kim said, noting that the DPRK appeared to show off its capability to strike the five disputed islands.

The DPRK’s official KCNA news agency said Saturday that Pyongyang staged an island landing drill Friday with participation of its armed forces and supreme leader Kim Jong Un.

During his inspection, Kim said waters on the country’s south-western front were recently exposed to threat as the enemies fired shells into territorial waters of the DPRK, warning that he would “make them regret bitterly for their action” if the enemies repeat the wrong choice.

The two Koreas exchanged artillery fires, with several hundred rounds of shells falling in the territorial waters of each other in March this year. The South Korean spokesman said the DPRK seemed to show its response to the South Korean government’s refusal to the recent DPRK proposal and defence minister Han Min-koo’s recent remarks on the western sea islands.

Pyongyang proposed to Seoul suspending inter-Korean military hostilities on June 30, but South Korea rejected the overture, saying the proposal lacked sincerity.

On July 1, the second day of his inauguration, Han visited the Yeongpyeong Island, vowing a merciless response to any DPRK provocations. — Xinhua.