Seoul, South Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an appearance at a military drill on Wednesday, joining troops in training on a new tank model and even driving one himself, as reported by state media. This marked the third time that Kim has observed military exercises since the start of the 11-day joint drills between South Korea and the United States.

The visits with troops serve as a less provocative response from Kim compared to missile tests, which North Korea has significantly increased since 2022, accompanied by aggressive rhetoric this year. During the tank drill, Kim commended the country's latest tank as "the world's most powerful" and encouraged his troops to enhance their "fighting spirits" and complete their "preparations for war," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Notably, Kim had also inspected artillery firing and maneuvering exercises in his recent visits.

The tank in question was first unveiled during a military parade in 2020, and its active participation in Wednesday's drill indicates its readiness for deployment, according to South Korean experts. Photos released by North Korea reveal that the tank is equipped with a launch tube for missiles, a weapons system previously operated by the former Soviet Union in the 1970s. Analysts at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies believe that this new tank could pose a threat to South Korea, though it remains unclear whether North Korea has the capacity for mass production.

Tensions have heightened with North Korea's Defense Ministry issuing threats of "responsible military activities" in response to the South Korea-U.S. military exercises. This year's drills included computer-simulated command post training and 48 field exercises, double the number conducted last spring. The U.S. and South Korea have been increasing their training exercises as a response to North Korea's ongoing weapons testing.

Concerns regarding North Korea's military preparations have grown since Kim's speech in January, wherein he stated his intention to rewrite the constitution and eliminate the country's long-standing goal of peaceful unification with the Korean Peninsula. Instead, Kim emphasized the need to view South Korea as its "invariable principal enemy" and asserted that North Korea would annex and subjugate the South in the event of another war.

Experts suggest that Kim's recent actions indicate a shift in North Korea's South Korea policy beyond mere rhetoric. Previous calls for inter-Korean unity allowed North Korea to push for the removal of U.S. troops in South Korea. A senior South Korean presidential official, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Kim may be seeking to leverage his upgraded weapons arsenal to secure extensive relief of international sanctions on North Korea.

Observers predict that North Korea is likely to continue expanding its testing activities and escalating its warlike rhetoric throughout the year. With parliamentary elections in South Korea scheduled for April and the U.S. presidential election in November, North Korea may use these events as opportunities to gain concessions from the United States.

Although the South Korea-U.S. training has concluded, experts warn that North Korea's military activities are far from over. "They won't just stand still... they've been talking about war," stated Yang Uk, an analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.