North Korea has once again issued a warning to the United States, responding to recent military exercises conducted in the Pacific Ocean. On Friday, September 11, the official North Korean news agency KCNA published a statement from Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. She warned that Pyongyang might take a "more offensive" stance in response to what it calls hostile military actions. This comes after several weeks of multinational naval exercises, which North Korea views as a threat to its sovereignty and regional stability. From August 29 to September 10, the United States, along with South Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, participated in the annual naval exercise known as "Pacific Vanguard." These exercises, held near the U.S. territory of Guam, aim to strengthen the joint naval capabilities of participating nations. According to the U.S. military, the drills are meant to improve readiness and coordination in the region. However, North Korea sees these exercises as provocative and a major cause of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and beyond. Kim Yo Jong criticized the exercises as "war rehearsals directed by the United States," arguing that they are the primary reason for the ongoing deterioration of regional security. She emphasized that North Korea remains committed to strengthening its military capabilities, particularly its nuclear deterrence. "Our will to defend our sovereignty will be expressed through a clearer action, and there will never, never be a change in the path of intensifying nuclear deterrence," she said. Kim Yo Jong also stated that North Korea would respond with actions that are "proportional or more offensive in nature" if it perceives its interests or security to be under threat. Kim Yo Jong, who holds a key position in North Korea's leadership, reiterated that the country is prepared to use "all available means" to protect its sovereignty and security. As the director of the department of general affairs in the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, she often speaks on matters of foreign policy and national defense. North Korea has been developing its military capabilities, including ballistic missiles, since its first nuclear test in 2006. Despite facing international sanctions, the country has not returned to nuclear negotiations since the failed 2019 summit between Kim Jong-un and former U.S. President Donald Trump.