Photo courtesy of Anadolu
North Korea said expanding military cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea was creating a new security crisis in the Asia-Pacific.
In commentary carried Tuesday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, a military commentator criticized the three countries for strengthening their joint combat capabilities through large-scale exercises.
Pyongyang cited the US-led Rim of the Pacific naval drills, which reportedly involved more than 30,000 personnel, over 30 warships, five submarines and nearly 190 aircraft.
The commentary described the exercise as preparation for military aggression and claimed Washington was seeking greater regional dominance with the support of Tokyo and Seoul.
North Korea also criticized US-South Korea air and logistics drills, plans to reinforce US command structures in Japan and the deployment of advanced American missile systems in the region.
Pyongyang warned that it would strengthen its deterrence in response to what it described as a higher level of military threat.
In a separate statement, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry rejected US-led allegations that the country posed a cyber threat, calling the claims unfounded and politically motivated.
The ministry instead accused Washington of militarizing cyberspace through cyber commands, joint exercises and artificial intelligence programs, and said North Korea would continue defending its security and development interests.
