North Korea claims its youth wants to 'wipe out war maniacs' in latest threat

First 800,000, now 1.4 million citizens have allegedly volunteered to enlist or re-enlist in North Korea's military to fight against the United States and South Korea, as reported by the nation's state media in recent days.

North Korea's youth want to 'wipe out the war maniacs'

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper claimed that on Friday 17 March alone, approximately 800,000 students and workers across the nation expressed a desire to join or re-enlist in the military. Images released by North Korean state media showed dozens of young people lining up at state-led rallies at theatres and construction sites on Friday.

The publication said:

The soaring enthusiasm of young people to join the army is a demonstration of the unshakeable will of the younger generation to mercilessly wipe out the war maniacs making last-ditch efforts to eliminate our precious socialist country, and achieve the great cause of national reunification without fail and a clear manifestation of their ardent patriotism.

It claimed that the country's 'youth vanguard rose up at once to join the war to defend the homeland and the war to destroy the enemy', according to Seoul-based publication NK News.

The publication declared that citizens have signed up to counter 'US imperialists and puppet traitors [who] are trying to destroy our independence and right to live and develop'.

It further claimed that enlistment numbers for the armed forces 'are continuously rising' across the hermit kingdom. However, officials have not revealed the age of the countless citizens it says have signed up.

The publication also rebuked Washington and Seoul, claiming their 'provocations' are 'crossing a line that can no longer be tolerated'.

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Meanwhile, state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed over 1.4 million citizens have volunteered to enlist or re-enlist in the military, up from the 800,000 originally reported by Rodong Sinmun only two days prior.

It comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for the nation's military to be prepared for an 'immediate and overwhelming nuclear counterattack anytime'. As reported by KCNA on Monday 20 March, he said, referring to the US and South Korea's increasing joint military drills:

The present situation, in which the enemies are getting ever more pronounced in their moves for aggression against the DPRK, urgently requires the DPRK to bolster up its nuclear war deterrence exponentially.

He added:

The nuclear force of the DPRK will strongly deter, control and manage the enemy's reckless moves and provocations with its high war readiness, and carry out its important mission without hesitation in case of any unwanted situation.

Read more ⋙ Kim Jong-un makes bizarre new demand of North Korean citizens and it involves his daughter

Sources used:

Reuters: 'North Korea claims almost 800,000 have signed up to fight against US'

Independent: 'North Korea claims almost 800,000 have signed up to fight against ‘war maniacs’ US and South Korea'

Reuters: 'North Korea's Kim oversees simulated nuclear counterattack against US, South Korea'