North Korea said that this week about 1.4 million young people, including students, had signed up for its army, Reuters reported, citing BTA, citing reports in North Korean state media.
Young people are determined to fight in a "holy war to destroy the enemy with the weapons of revolution," said North Korea's KCTA news agency.
Pyongyang's claim that more than 1,000,000 young men had signed up for the Korean People's Army in just two days came at a time when tensions on the Korean Peninsula are escalating, Reuters notes.
Last year, the KCTA issued a similar statement about North Korean citizens who want to join the military to fight against the US.
On Tuesday, South Korea fired warning shots after North Korea blew up sections of a shared road and railway on its side of the heavily fortified border. Also last week, Pyongyang accused South Korea of sending drones that drop propaganda leaflets, describing the actions as a political and military provocation. The two countries also clashed over garbage balloons that North Korea has been sending to its southern neighbor since May. Pyongyang said it was in response to the actions of activists in South Korea who oppose the North Korean regime.
"If war breaks out, the armed forces of the Republic of Korea will be wiped off the map. Since they want war, we are ready to put an end to their existence," KCTA writes.