North Korea Criticizes South Korea's Military Movements as "Busy with Malicious Intentions" from New Year

"Military Buildup Targeting Us Gains Momentum"
Restraining Harsh Language While Moderating Criticism Level

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un visited the Suncheon In Fertilizer Plant in Suncheon City, South Pyongan Province, as his first local guidance schedule of the new year, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 7th. The photo is a capture from Korean Central Television, showing a blurred aerial view in the lower part behind Chairman Kim.

North Korea's state-run media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), claimed on the 27th that "the South Korean military has been causing a commotion with malicious intent since the beginning of the new year," and asserted that "the South Korean government's military buildup aimed at us is also becoming more full-fledged."

In an article titled "Military Movements of the South Korean Military Increasing Tensions and the Risk of War on the Korean Peninsula," published that afternoon, the agency stated that the Ministry of National Defense "has decided to pour enormous funds into acquiring precision-guided weapons and developing and introducing new fighter jets and missiles from 2020 to 2024."

KCNA criticized Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo's New Year's address in 2020 (Command Letter No. 8), in which he urged the "maintenance of an ironclad combined defense posture," as well as remarks by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Park Han-ki and Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-chul.

Regarding the naval maritime maneuver exercises conducted over four days in the East Sea starting on the 9th, the agency claimed that "the sky, land, and sea are being turned into a war rehearsal ground."

North Korea has harshly criticized the South Korean military authorities through propaganda media until recently, and this article by KCNA appears to be a continuation of that trend.

However, compared to the harsh denunciations of previous propaganda media, the tone seems somewhat moderated.

For example, on the 13th, North Korean propaganda media 'Meari' severely criticized Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo by name, stating that South Korea cannot decide whether to resume joint military exercises with the United States without U.S. permission. In an article titled "What Remains Unchanged is the Status of the 51st State," Meari pointed out that "the South Korean military has no authority whatsoever to make any decisions regarding the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises."

More recently, on the 24th, the anti-South propaganda media 'Uri Minjokkkiri' condemned in a commentary titled "A Reckless Attempt at Military Confrontation" that "the South Korean military recently delivered a '2020 Ministry of National Defense Work Report,'" accusing it of "openly revealing hostile military confrontation intentions aimed at harming and antagonizing their own people."