Overview

• North Korean state media quoted Kim Jong Un as calling the U.S.–South Korean exercises proof of a will to "ignite a war" and urging a radical shift in doctrine with faster nuclearization.
• Kim inspected the domestically built destroyer Choe Hyon and said work to make the navy high-tech and nuclear-armed is on schedule, with an assessment planned in October.
• The United States and South Korea have launched an 11-day joint exercise featuring several large-scale live-fire events that the U.S. Army describes as defense-oriented.
• South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung has offered talks without preconditions and pledged to respect the North’s political system to build military trust.
• Kim Yo Jong said the North has no will to improve relations with Seoul and denied reports that border loudspeakers were being removed.