China's Largest Political Event from the 16th to Confirm Xi Jinping's Third Term
North Korea Likely to Refrain from Provocations Instead of Opposing US Military-Participated Defense Drills
The Northwest Islands Defense Command conducted a defense exercise as part of the national defense training, involving joint forces from the Army, Navy, and Air Force to prepare for various enemy provocation scenarios.
[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Hoguk Training will begin on the 17th. As an outdoor maneuver training assuming threats such as North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles is conducted, the possibility of additional provocations by North Korea is also high.
A military official stated, "From this day until the 28th, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps will conduct various outdoor maneuver trainings in the front and rear areas."
The Hoguk Training, an annual outdoor maneuver training conducted in the second half of every year, focuses on maintaining military readiness and improving joint operation capabilities. Especially this year's Hoguk Training will conduct realistic day and night live-fire maneuver training assuming various threats such as North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles, thereby mastering the ability to perform missions in both wartime and peacetime. Some of the training will also include U.S. military forces.
The military plans to strengthen surveillance and readiness against North Korea, as North Korea, which recently carried out indiscriminate provocations including violations of the September 19 Military Agreement, is highly likely to use this training as a pretext for additional provocations.
North Korea has carried out a total of 13 simultaneous provocations on land, sea, and air over three weeks from the 25th of last month to the 14th, blatantly violating the September 19 Military Agreement and raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula to the highest level. Attention is focused on the possibility that this series of provocations may lead to a 7th nuclear test.
There is an analysis that North Korea's background for the military demonstrations violating the September 19 Military Agreement is to create a situation where the South breaks the agreement, thereby making a pretext for future military actions. The Presidential Office is known to have entered a 24-hour emergency system in preparation for the 7th nuclear test amid various provocations by North Korea regardless of type.
Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop visited the Joint Chiefs of Staff Combat Control Room on the holiday, the 16th, and said, "North Korea's recent blatant violations of the September 19 Military Agreement are meticulously planned provocations and may be the beginning of a series of intentional provocation scenarios."
Some speculate that North Korea will refrain from provocations this week due to China's political event. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which opened on the 16th, is considered the largest political event and festival after confirming President Xi Jinping's third term.
The Workers' Party organ, Rodong Sinmun, published on the 16th President Xi Jinping's reply to the congratulatory message sent by Chairman Kim Jong-un on the 73rd anniversary of China's National Day (October 1). It emphasized, "This congress is a very important congress convened at a critical time when the Communist Party of China and the people of various ethnic groups in China are embarking on a new journey to comprehensively build a socialist modern country and march toward the second centenary goal." Considering the emphasis on the importance of the congress, it is interpreted as an indirect message to North Korea to refrain from provocations.
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