​North Korea warned on Tuesday that it would regard as a “clear declaration” of war any interception of its missiles launched for a test over the Pacific Ocean, AFP and Agerpres reported.

Kim Yo Jong with his brother at a meeting with South Korean officials in 2018Photo: South Korea Host Broadcast / Associated Press / Profimedia Images

This was announced by the sister of the leader of North Korea, Kim Yo Jong, the second most influential person in the country.

“It will be considered a clear declaration of war against the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) if a military response, such as the interception (of our missiles), occurs during our strategic weapons tests,” Kim Yo Jong was quoted as saying by the official North Korean news agency. Korean news agency KCNA.

“The Pacific Ocean is not the absolute property of the United States or Japan,” she warned, as the US and neighboring South Korea prepare for their biggest joint military exercises in five years.

North Korea is “always ready to take appropriate, swift and overwhelming measures at any time,” it added in a statement, calling the recent military drills between Washington and Seoul “extremely frantic.”

North Korea accuses of “deliberate” escalation of tensions

The announcement came after the two allies announced on Friday that they will hold their largest joint military exercise of 2018 this month to improve their response in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.

In a separate statement, North Korea’s foreign ministry on Tuesday accused the United States of “deliberately” raising tensions in the region.

“Recent joint air exercises (…) clearly show that the plan to use nuclear weapons against North Korea is developing at the pace of a real war,” the ministry condemned.

“We deeply regret the irresponsible and alarming gestures of the United States and South Korea, which are constantly destabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” the ministry added, also quoted by KCNA.

In addition to the Ulchi Freedom Shield maneuvers between U.S. and South Korean forces, which will begin on March 13 and last at least 10 days, Washington and Seoul this week conducted joint air exercises with the U.S. B-52 heavy bomber, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.