North Korea claims 1.4 million youth applied to the army in two days for 'sacred war' against South Korea
North Korea army signup
North Korean state media announced on Wednesday (Oct 16) that approximately 1.4 million young people, including students and youth league officials, have applied to join or re-enlist in the military.
Committed to 'sacred war'
According to the state news agency of North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), these youthare committed to participating in what they call a "sacred war" to destroy the enemy with "the arms of the revolution."
The reported surge in enlistments comes amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea's claim of over one million young applicants to the Korean People's Army within just two days mirrors a similar declaration made last year.
Also read |North Korea blows up inter-Korean roads and rail lines, escalating tensions with South Korea
According to Reuters, back then, the North Korean regime boasted of its citizens volunteering to fight against the United States.
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TheKCNA report also included a stark warning: "If a war breaks out, the ROK will be wiped off the map. As it wants a war, we are willing to put an end to its existence."
Here, ROK refers toSouth Korea's official name - the Republic of Korea.
Why now?
This comes as tensions between the two Koreas continue to rise.On Tuesday (Oct 15), North Korea took aggressive action by blowing up sections of inter-Korean roads and railways on its side of the fortified border. To this, as per reports, South Korea responded withwarning shots.
The two nations have also been clashing over a series of provocations, including accusations from Pyongyang that Seoul has sent drones over its capital. The two neighbouring nations have also clashed overballoons filled with trash thathave been floating over from North Korea into South Koreasince May. North Korea claims that the trash-filled balloonsare in retaliation for anti-regime balloons launched from the South.
(With inputs from agencies)
