SEOUL, August 31. /TASS/. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has studied a plan for exercises, presented by the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA), which implies "deflecting a surprise attack, launching a counteroffensive and capturing the entire territory of the southern part of the country," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has said.

The country's leader visited the KPA General Staff's exercise control center on August 29 and reviewed progress in the comprehensive command and staff exercises. The drills were organized that day in response to "dangerous and provocative large-scale maneuvers" by the United States and the Republic of Korea that practiced a scenario of "total war against the DPRK".

The General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea was accompanied by Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam and KPA Marshal Pak Jong-chon. He was met by the chiefs of the KPA General Staff and General Intelligence Directorate.

"Comrade Kim Jong-un familiarized himself with the General Staff’s plan for the drills, which put forward as the end goal the deflection of a sudden armed attack by the enemies, followed by a comprehensive counteroffensive and the capture of the entire territory of the southern part of the country," the KCNA said. The North Korean leader also checked the General Staff's operational documents, including the plan for using frontline and strategic reserve artillery units, a plan for creating a frontline behind enemy lines, and the concept of disrupting the entry of foreign armed forces into hostilities.

In addition, the agency pointed out that in response to Kim Jong-un's instructions to intensify the exercises, KPA commanders showed readiness to accelerate preparations for war, defeat the enemy and "establish control over the entire territory of the southern part of the country, should such an order be received" from the DPRK’s leader.

Washington and Seoul are holding the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises from August 21 to 31. The day before, joint air force maneuvers involving at least one B-1B strategic bomber were conducted in the skies over the Korean Peninsula. In response, the DPRK launched two tactical ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, which simulated a nuclear strike on South Korea's command posts and airfields.