Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen air force drills and emphasized the necessity for heightened war preparations, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency on Saturday. Kim inspected airstrike and air defense drills conducted by North Korea's First Air Division, urging all military units to make significant advancements in their readiness for potential conflict.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Kim's recent activities in May have included overseeing a missile test, inspecting tank and ammunition factories, and supervising tank firing drills and special operations unit training. These actions reflect North Korea's ongoing focus on enhancing its military capabilities.

North Korea has also expressed discontent with the US State Department for being included on a list of countries that do not fully cooperate with US counterterrorism efforts. Yonhap News Agency highlighted that North Korea has been on this list every year since 1997. The Korean Central News Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesperson who stated that US provocations against North Korea would only escalate the hostile relationship between the two countries.

The spokesperson further emphasized that North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is prepared to implement effective and appropriate measures to counteract what it perceives as the US's hostile provocations across various domains.