Russia Plans Joint Military Drills with N.Korea

Russia has announced plans for joint military drills with North Korea this year, VOA reported on Saturday.

Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said at a meeting with top brass at the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday that he would hold talks with defense ministry officials from Brazil, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam, adding Russia would stage joint drills with those countries mobilizing its Army, Navy, and Air Force.

This is likely to create fresh tensions reminiscent of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula since South Korea in turn conducts several massive military drills with the U.S. every year.

Cho Han-bum of the Korea Institute for National Unification said, "Russia and the North have common interests in that Russia wants to resist U.S. pressure and the North opposes the joint South Korea-U.S. exercises."

Left: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (center) visits a naval unit to observe a drill in this photo released by [North] Korean Central News Agency on Saturday; Right: A torpedo is discharged from a North Korean submarine during a drill on Saturday. /Newsis

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched a joint Navy-Air Force exercise to prepare for strikes on hypothetical U.S. military targets at sea on Saturday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

During the exercise, Kim reportedly said the North will not sit still while "the rabid dogs are openly barking."

The drill comes after U.S. President Barack Obama predicted the eventual collapse of the North Korean regime.

Credit to The Chosunilbo