Seoul: The North Korean defense minister has issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing Freedom Edge military exercise that involves South Korea, the United States, and Japan. The minister has vowed to implement "reflective countermeasures," according to a report from Pyongyang's official media outlet on Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, North Korean Defense Minister Kim Song-gi communicated his concerns through the Korean Central News Agency, asserting that the joint military drill poses a significant security threat. He stated that the exercise escalates "instability on the Korean peninsula and beyond the region to the limit."

In his statement, Kim warned that if the United States and its allies engage in military provocations against North Korea, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the nation would respond with "strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power." This declaration marks Kim's first official statement since his appointment as North Korea's defense minister on August 29, following the replacement of No Kwang-chol.

Kim also criticized the upcoming Orient Shield exercise involving the United States, Japan, and Australia, as well as the U.S. Army's planned deployment of a multidomain mobile task force to South Korea later this year. "The U.S.-led war demonstrations are being staged one after another without any gap in time and space under the situation that the U.S.-Japan-ROK tripartite military cooperation system is being transformed into a dangerous offensive entity accompanied by nuclear elements," Kim stated. ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.

He further warned that North Korea is prepared to "respond to the enemies' moves with more powerful and resolute action practice" if necessary. Despite these tensions, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan commenced the five-day joint military exercise as planned, following a recent scaling back of key Seoul-Washington drills ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.