SEOUL: North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said military exercises by the United States, Japan and South Korea justified North Korea’s nuclear buildup, a state media KCNA reported Tuesday, November 5.

Kim criticized air exercises conducted after North Korea last week tested a massive new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile dubbed the Hwasong-19, as well as “more than 20” military exercises conducted by the allies this year.

Faced with such threats, North Korea will not be deterred from strengthening its nuclear deterrence, KCNA said.

North Korea’s ICBM launch last week flew higher than any previous North Korean missile, according to North and South Korean militaries who tracked its flight into the depths of the space before it fell into the ocean between Japan and Russia.

After the launch, the South Korean and U.S. air forces conducted the first-ever joint live-fire attack exercises involving the Global Hawk and Reaper drones, dropping GPS-guided munitions in simulated strikes against enemy targets, it said. the South Korean Air Force.

Last week’s ICBM launch took place shortly after North Korea has started sending soldiers to help Russia in the war in Ukrainedrawing swift condemnation from Washington and its allies in South Korea, Japan and Europe, as well as the United Nations secretary-general.

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday inspected the reconstruction of areas previously hit by torrential rains and flooding near the country’s border with China, KCNA said Tuesday.