North Korea says 1.4m youth ready to fight after drone 'provocation'

Pyongyang's latest accusation follows pattern of increasing toughness toward Seoul

20241016N North Korea recruits

North Koreans fill out forms to join or rejoin the military on Oct. 14. (KCNA via Kyodo)

JUNNOSUKE KOBARA, Nikkei staff writer

SEOUL -- North Korea says young people are signing up for military service in droves after South Korea violated its airspace last week, in what appears to be the latest attempt by Pyongyang to drum up domestic support for its nuclear weapons program.

More than 1.4 million North Koreans volunteered to join or rejoin the military on Monday and Tuesday, determined to punish those who "committed a hideous crime" and a "serious provocation," the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.

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