According to KCNA, the young people pledged to join the "sacred war to destroy the enemy with revolutionary weapons".
The news comes amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula. This is not the first time North Korea has made similar claims; last year, state media also claimed that many of its citizens had volunteered to join the military.
The situation became more tense when North Korea destroyed inter-Korean roads and railways located north of the border area between the two Koreas on October 15. This action prompted the South Korean military to fire warning shots.
At the same time, Pyongyang accused Seoul of sending drones into the North Korean capital. The two countries have also clashed over the issue of balloons containing trash from the North that have been launched across the border since May.
Amid rising tensions, North Korea has not hesitated to issue strong threats to South Korea. KCNA warned that if war breaks out, "South Korea will be wiped off the map." The agency also stressed that if South Korea wants war, North Korea is ready to end the existence of its southern neighbor.
Statements from North Korea about large numbers of young men enlisting in the military in short periods of time and threats against South Korea point to increased military tensions in the region.
Together with military actions such as destroying inter-Korean infrastructure and exchanging drone and balloon exchanges, these moves increase the risk of escalating conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has long maintained a large military, built on the loyalty and discipline of its citizens. Claims that millions of young men are ready to join the military are often used as a propaganda tool by Pyongyang, to reinforce the image of a strong and ready nation ready to face any external threat.
Meanwhile, the situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to be the focus of international attention, as countries and international organizations worry about the possibility of the conflict escalating into a full-scale war. The ongoing confrontation between the two Koreas, coupled with external factors such as the involvement of major powers, pose many challenges to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
