North Korea denounces ‘muscle-flexing’ US-South Korean military exercises

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong said the annual ‘Freedom Shield’ exercises could lead to ‘unimaginably terrible consequences’.Published On 10 Mar 2026Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has accused the United States and South Korea of “destroying the stability” of East Asia, as the two countries start their annual 10-day joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula.“The muscle-flexing of the hostile forces near the areas of our state’s sovereignty and security may cause unimaginably terrible consequences,” Kim Yo Yong said on Tuesday, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Iran says no future negotiations with US after ‘bitter experience’list 2 of 4Trump says some sanctions to be lifted on oil producers amid Iran warlist 3 of 4Trump claims Iran planned to ‘take over Middle East’ before US attackedlist 4 of 4Australia to send missiles to UAE, surveillance plane to help Gulf defenceend of list“The enemies should never try to test our patience, will and capability,” Kim said.“We will watch to what extent the enemy violates the security of our state and what it is playing at,” she continued.Kim’s remarks follow the start of the joint Freedom Shield exercises on Monday, which will run for 10 days and involve 18,000 South Korean and US military personnel.The military manoeuvres are designed to “enhance the combined, joint, all-domain, and interagency operational environment, thereby strengthening the Alliance’s response capabilities,” United States Forces Korea said.This year’s Freedom Shield will involve 22 field training drills, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, which is fewer than half the number carried out last year.Kim added on Tuesday that there was no justification to hold the exercises, which have been called a “defensive” action by Washington and Seoul in the past.“No matter what justification they may establish and how the elements of the drill may be coordinated, the clear confrontational nature of the high-intensity large-scale war drill staged by the most hostile entities in collusion at the doorstep of [North Korea] never changes,” she said.