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North Korea Condemns Planned Three-Nation Freedom Edge Drills
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Conflict & Security

North Korea Condemns Planned Three-Nation Freedom Edge Drills

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • South Korea, the United States and Japan plan to hold Freedom Edge naval exercises from Sept. 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island.
  • North Korea condemned the drills as a threat and said Washington was pursuing hostile policies and military provocations.
  • The comments came as President Donald Trump seeks another meeting with Kim Jong Un, despite limited signs of North Korean reciprocity.

North Korea has denounced planned naval exercises involving South Korea, the United States and Japan, calling them a threat to the country and the wider region. The Freedom Edge drills are scheduled for Sept. 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island.

Seoul says the exercises are defensive. The drills focus on North Korea and follow an agreement reached by the three countries’ leaders at the 2023 Camp David summit. Freedom Edge was first held in June 2024.

Multidomain joint military exercises between the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea threaten the DPRK and regional countries.

— North Korean Foreign Ministry representativeThe ministry condemned the planned Freedom Edge exercises in a statement distributed by KCNA.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the U.S. military had announced “multidomain joint military exercises between the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea that threaten the DPRK and regional countries.” A ministry representative also accused Washington of conducting aerial espionage and “one provocation after another” directed at North Korea.

One provocation after another directed at the DPRK.

— North Korean Foreign Ministry representativeThe representative accused Washington of conducting aerial espionage and repeated military provocations.

The official said the Trump administration had again confirmed what Pyongyang described as an unchanging hostile policy aimed at violating North Korea’s sovereignty, political system and security interests. The country’s nuclear arsenal, the representative added, was “the most responsible and fairest choice” for regional peace and security and an “absolute guarantee for defending sovereignty.”

The statements followed the conclusion of Ulchi Freedom Shield, one of the main annual exercises held by South Korea and the United States. Trump ordered the drills shortened from 11 days to five, citing their high cost and his good relationship with Kim Jong Un. North Korea has nevertheless shown little reciprocity, launching missiles and criticizing the shortened exercises, U.S. approval of arms sales to South Korea and plans to fund programs documenting human rights violations in North Korea.

The most responsible and fairest choice for ensuring regional peace and security.

— North Korean Foreign Ministry representativeThe statement described North Korea’s nuclear arsenal in those terms.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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