Pyongyang, North Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un brandished a gun while inspecting a major operational training base, urging his military to intensify "actual war drills", state media reported Thursday.

Wearing a black leather jacket, Kim was shown talking to ranks of heavily armed soldiers in camouflage, overseeing firing drills, and inspecting weaponry, images in the official Korean Central News Agency showed.

During his Wednesday visit to the base in the country's western region, Kim told the North Korean army to "steadily intensify the actual war drills aimed at rapidly improving its combat capabilities for perfect war preparedness," KCNA reported.

His visit comes as Seoul and Washington conduct their annual spring military exercises, known as Freedom Shield, which involve field exercises, missile interception drills and some live firing.

Russia Is the US changing its nuclear force policy in response to Russia easing its own strike threshold?

Pyongyang has called the drills "reckless", warning the allies they will pay a "dear price."

KCNA photos also show Kim being applauded by soldiers, who "pledged their intense loyalty" to him "in the sacred struggle for the security of the country".

So far this year, he has declared South Korea his country's "principal enemy," shut down agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over "even 0.001 millimeter" of territorial infringement.

Kim repeated last month that Pyongyang would not hesitate to "put an end" to South Korea if attacked.