Defense Secretary Says US Troops Are Ready to Fight After North Korea's Threats to Biden

(Photo : Photo by Lim Han-Byul - Korea Pool/Getty Images)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 18: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a joint press conference following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 18, 2021 in Seoul, South Korea. Austin and Blinken are visiting South Korea for two days to discuss major challenges in the region, including issues pertaining to China and North Korea.

After the North Korea threat coming from officials in Pyongyang, sending a warning to the Biden administration to stop military drills with the forces of South Korea, the Defense Secretary of the United States President Joe Biden, Secretary Lloyd Austin responded on Thursday regarding the warning that US troops are ready to fight.

US Troops Are Ready to Fight After North Korea's Threats to Biden

The Defense Secretary shared during a joint press conference with officials of South Korea that they have discussed the way forward on a host of critical strategic and operational issues, and at the top of the administration's agenda was to ensure the understanding of both countries regarding the importance of maintaining the readiness of their forces. Austin also added that the US troops remain ready to fight tonight and they continue making the progress toward the eventual transition of wartime operational control to a Republic of Korea-commanded future combined forces command.

According to American Military News, the comments of Austin came after the sister of the Supreme Leader, Kim Yo Jong claimed on Tuesday that the administration of Biden was trying to give off the smell of burnt gunpowder throughout the Korean Peninsula in order to intimidate the North. In her statement which was carried by state-run Korean Central News Agency or KCNA, Kim Yo Jong emphasized that they are taking the opportunity in sending a warning to the Biden administration that the Hermit state was trying hard to give off powder smelling their land.

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Moreover, Kim Yo Jong also mentioned that if the new administration wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step. But as the statement of Kim referenced the military drills to the smell of gunpowder, the US-South Korean drills have only conducted computer simulations this year due to the restrictions by the pandemic, Reuters reported.

In addition, Chung Eui-Yong, the South Korean Foreign Minister also referenced the comments of Kim Yo Jong during the press briefing. Chung said that the statements of Choe Son-hui and Kim Yo Jong are under his close monitoring.

The foreign minister also added North Korea is also reviewing its policy toward the US and it seems that North Korea is closely monitoring the dialogue between the US and the ROK regarding the policy linked to the hermit state. Chung also added that Pyongyang has its own way of sending messages down to the South and to the US.

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The back and forth comments and the North Korea threat and the US warning came after the efforts of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula which have stalled in the last year. During the administration of former President Donald Trump, North Korea welcomed the negotiations of denuclearization, The Sun reported.

Despite the multiple meetings and discussions regarding the denuclearization between Trump and Kim Jong Un, no agreement was made. The Supreme Leader then impose a 2019 year-end deadline in reaching a deal for the denuclearization or cease the negotiations, but since the decision has been made, North Korea started in increasing their testing of ballistic missiles.