SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea conducted livefire military drills near its disputed sea boundary with North Korea today despite Pyongyang’s threat to respond with a “merciless” attack.
North Korea did not carry out the threat as it focuses on internal stability two months after the death of longtime leader Kim Jong Il and prepares for nuclear disarmament talks with the United States later this week. But with American forces scheduled to conduct additional military exercises with ally South Korea over the next few months, tensions are expected to remain high in the region.
Washington and North Korea’s neighbors are closely watching how new leader Kim Jong Un navigates strained ties with rival South Korea, the planned U.S.-South Korean military drills and a long-running standoff over the country’s nuclear weapons programs.
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