In brief
North Korea’s official statements condemn the South Korea‑U.S. ‘Iron Mace’ drill as a nuclear rehearsal and pledge to accelerate nuclear force development. The regime argues the exercise underscores the need for stronger deterrence to protect sovereignty.
North Korea publicly denounced a joint South Korea‑U.S. military exercise known as “Iron Mace” on Monday, calling it the most hideous nuclear war rehearsal and warning that the regime will further strengthen its nuclear deterrent to counter such threats. The statement came from the Korean Central News Agency following remarks by Kim Jong‑sik, the first‑vice department director of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s Central Committee.
According to the KCNA release, the seventeen‑day drill ran from September 29 to October 2 at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters in Seoul and involved South Korea’s conventional forces combined with U.S. nuclear capabilities. Kim asserted the exercise was designed to deter North Korean threats, but he viewed it as a direct challenge to the DPRK’s sovereignty.
"The amphibious ‘Iron Mace’ drill…is the most hideous nuclear war rehearsal aimed at using nuclear weapons against the DPRK," Kim said. "It only proves how justified the DPRK’s ceaseless bolstering of its nuclear forces is to cope with such threats."
Kim also criticized other allied drills – including “Hoguk,” “Freedom Flag,” and the Japan‑led “Keen Sword” – describing them as part of a broader escalation. He warned that the North must keep its adversaries in check by strengthening nuclear means, arguing that “strength guarantees peace.”
The regime pledged that it would continue to accelerate the development of its deterrent at an “immutable” pace to defend the nation’s sovereignty and regional peace. No third‑party verification of the drill’s contents or the North Korean vow to accelerate nuclear programs was provided beyond the KCNA statement.
