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A top North Korean official has condemned the United States and South Korea over their annual joint military exercises.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Since 1976, the United States and South Korea have conducted regular joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula to strengthen their combined defense capabilities and readiness against potential threats from North Korea. Over the decades, the drills have evolved into large-scale training operations focused on joint command coordination, modern warfare scenarios, missile defense, cyber operations, and multi-domain combat across land, sea, and air. The current Freedom Shield exercise lasts about 11 days and involves 18,000 South Korean troops and US forces. North Korea always criticizes the exercises as rehearsals for invasion and typically responds with harsh rhetoric and warnings before the drills begin, during their execution, and shortly after they conclude. Sometimes, North Korea goes further by launching its own drills.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Kim Yo Jong, the infamous sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a warning over the latest round of joint drills, accusing the US and South Korea of undermining regional stability. In a statement carried by North Korea’s state-run media, she said the exercises represent dangerous military pressure near the country’s borders. “The muscle-flexing of the hostile forces near the areas of our state’s sovereignty and security may cause unimaginably terrible consequences,” Kim said, warning that the allied drills could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

She also said “the enemies should never try to test our patience, will and capability,” adding that Pyongyang would closely monitor the actions of the US and South Korea during the exercise. Kim further argued that regardless of how the US and South Korea frame the drills, their intent remains confrontational.

South Korean officials responded to the remarks, with a representative from Seoul’s Unification Ministry telling local media that Kim’s statement was relatively restrained compared with past responses from North Korea.

There was no comment from the US.