North Korean state-run media claimed Thursday that nearly five million citizens enlisted or re-enlisted in the country’s military to help defend the communist nation should war break out on the Korean peninsula.
According to USA Today, North Korean officials released a statement saying that millions of citizens have joined Kim’s army to “bring fire” to the United States. Over one million women enlisted to help the dictator “counter” American forces in the region.
“Over the past six days, millions of young men expressed their will for military enlistment to counter the U.S. force, and even some 1.22 million women vowed to voluntarily follow suit,” said the news agency.
The statement from Pyongyang comes hours after the Chinese government announced they would be shutting down all Korean-backed businesses operating in China within 120 days. Beijing’s new policy effectively cripples the North Korean economy, making it nearly impossible to import fuel, food, and other necessities.
China’s decision comes on the heels of punishing, US-led sanctions from the United Nations following Kim’s continued nuclear and missile tests. Earlier this month, dictator Kim Jong Un successfully tested a hydrogen bomb and launched a medium-range ballistic missile over Japanese Territory.
In response, President Trump warned Kim that the United States was prepared to “totally destroy” his regime should he continue to expand his weapons and missile programs; saying that “Rocket Man” Kim Jong Un was on a “suicide mission” against the United States.