Despite warnings of North Korea to nullify the armistice that ended the Korean War and launching nuclear attack on US, South Korea and the United States began annual military drills Monday. The drill in which 10,000 South Korean and about 3,000 American troops are involved is set to continue for eleven days. Pyongyang has launched a full campaign against the drill which is largely interpreted as struggle to shore up loyalty among citizens as well as military for the young leader Kim Jong Un.
After the sanction of United Nations Security Council, Pyongyang has taken an aggressive language towards US, viewing it as the core reason behind consecutive global sanctions which crippled the entire nation. Though a full-fledged war with Washington and Seoul yet seems unlikely, there are still worries about smaller conflict.
The country has a variety of missiles and other weapons capable of striking the South Korea. In 2010, it shelled a South Korean island and allegedly torpedoed a South Korean warship, killing a total of 50 people. Both incidents took place near the disputed western sea boundary, the area where the two countries pulled the triggers of already pointed weapons towards each other for three times since 1999.
Kim Jong Un visited two islands just north of the sea boundary last week and ordered troops there to open fire immediately if a single enemy shell is fired on North Korean waters. Kim was also quoted as saying his military is fully ready to fight an "all-out war" and that he will order a "just, great advance for national unification" if the enemy makes even a slight provocation, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The South Korea which previously acted more cautiously towards provocative movement of its twin brother, recently warned that it would not come short and respond to any possible military move.
South Korea's Defense Ministry has also stood against the verbal aggressiveness of the North and tried to send a message of strength. The Ministry warned Friday that the North's government would "evaporate from the face of the Earth" if it ever used a nuclear weapon. However, such warnings are mostly viewed as power vainglory, but dominance of conflict environment in the peninsula cause people live under a constant sense of fear.