North Korea expanded its investigation and blamed South Korea for the drone intrusion, which brought “a tense situation to the brink of war.”
North Korea claimed more than a million young people signed up to join or re-enlist in the military this week after accusing South Korea of sending propaganda drones to Pyongyang and bombing border roads, state media reported.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 19th that 1.4 million young people, including students and Youth League executives, signed a petition to enlist in the military.
The Korean Central News Agency said, “Millions of young people have risen up in a nationwide struggle to purge South Korea of the scum that has committed a serious provocation that tramples the sovereignty of the Republic through drone intrusion.”
There was no immediate comment from South Korea, which had previously warned that if North Korea harmed the safety of our people, that day would be “the end of the North Korean regime.”
North Korea imposes mandatory military service of up to 10 years on men, but has claimed that more people have signed up to join the military during times of heightened tensions with South Korea and the United States.
State media said last year that 800,000 citizens volunteered to join the North Korean military to fight against the United States. In 2017, nearly 3.5 million workers, party members, and soldiers reported volunteering to serve. It is difficult to verify such statements coming from an isolated country.
According to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), North Korea’s active-duty troops number 1.28 million, reserve troops number approximately 600,000, and among unarmed units, the reserve forces of the Worker-Peasant Red Guard number 5.7 million.
“If war breaks out, Korea disappears from the map. “Because we want war, we are willing to end its existence,” he said, also releasing a photo showing young people signing a petition at an undisclosed location.
Escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula
The report comes as North Korea blew up some roads along the border between North and South Korea on Tuesday, derailing long-standing goals of unification.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which is in charge of cross-border issues, condemned the act as “highly abnormal.”
Koo Byeong-sam, spokesman for the Ministry of Unification, said at a briefing, “It is deplorable that North Korea is repeating such regressive behavior.”
The government responded by firing warning shots south of the Military Demarcation Line.
Tensions rose significantly last week after North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones over the capital Pyongyang and distributing huge numbers of anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets and warned that further flights would be considered a declaration of war.
The South Korean government initially denied sending the drones, but North Korea claimed there was “clear evidence” of official involvement.
Since last May, South and North Korea have been arguing over trash balloons sent by North Korea.
North Korea said the balloons were used in retaliation for balloons sent by South Korean activists containing anti-North Korea leaflets and USB drives containing K-pop songs.
