NEW DELHI: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took part in the training session to operate newly developed battle tanks and appealed to the troops to escalate their efforts to prepare for war, reported state media on Thursday (Mar 14). 

The training of battle tanks in North Korea took place as the United States and South Korea began their annual 11-day military drills which will end later Thursday. 
The military exercises conducted by South Korea are seen by North Korea as a rehearsal for invasion.

The training session of North Korea included the inspection of the combat capabilities of the tankmen and included the new-type main battle tank which Kim called “the world’s most powerful,” as per the official Korean Central News Agency.

In the mock battle session, heavy tanks moved across different simulated harsh combat circumstances and rounds were fired at targets. 

Kim climbed on one of the new-type battle tanks and drove it himself, “adding to the high militant spirit of the tankmen of our army,” said KCNA.
North Korea's Defense Ministry earlier promised to carry out “responsible military activities” in the wake of the ongoing South Korea - United States military exercises being carried out in the South. Later, Kim Jong Un also supervised artillery firing drills.

The military training between the United States and South Korea involved computer-simulated command post training as well as 48 types of field exercises, which is two times the number of exercises conducted last year.

Since 2022, North Korea started accelerating its weapons testing activities for modernising and increasing its nuclear and missile arsenals. 
The training exercises have been expanded by the US and South Korea and a trilateral drill was also carried out, which involved Japan.

According to experts, Kim plans to use his upgraded weapons arsenal to win concessions from the US, like major relief from international sanctions against North Korea. 

They added that North Korea is likely to expand its testing activities and increase its war-like rhetoric this year as both the United States and South Korea prepare for elections.