South Korea closely watching North Korea's summer military drills

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean soldiers gathering to pledge to complete their mission at the Ministry of National Defense in Pyongyang, May 16. South Korea is keeping close tabs on movements related to North Korea's ongoing summertime military drills. EPA-Yonahp

South Korea is keeping close tabs on movements related to North Korea's ongoing summertime military drills, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday, amid lingering concerns about possibilities of Pyongyang's provocations.

"Although there were torrential rains recently, the North Korean military has usually held its summer training starting in July," Col. Kim Jun-rak, the JCS spokesperson, told a regular press briefing. "We are paying keen attention to related movements."

The South's military has yet to detect any full-fledged activities related to the drills, like the movement of a large number of troops or heavy equipment, but there have been related maneuvers, an informed source said.

The North's training raised speculation that the recalcitrant regime could stage yet another show of force, like a ballistic missile launch, on the pretext of checking its security readiness.

Despite COVID-19, economic woes and other domestic challenges, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his regime's principle of "power for power and head-on contest" during last month's key ruling party session ― a move that stoked concerns about Pyongyang's future provocations. (Yonhap)