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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

North Korea Condemns RIMPAC Drills Led by S. Korea, Japan as 'Aggressive War Demonstration'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • North Korea condemned the multinational '2026 RIMPAC' naval exercise, co-led by South Korea and Japan, calling it a "new security crisis" in the Asia-Pacific.
  • Pyongyang vowed to respond with "new levels of deterrence" to the drills, which it characterized as a "demonstration of aggressive war" orchestrated by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.
  • The North criticized the "three-way" alliance's pursuit of military superiority and highlighted the leading roles played by South Korea and Japan in the exercise as evidence of U.S. strategic intentions.

North Korea has strongly denounced the multinational '2026 Rim of the Pacific' (RIMPAC) exercise, co-led by South Korea and Japan, labeling it a "new security crisis" solidifying in the Asia-Pacific region. The Hermit Kingdom has vowed to counter the drills, which it described as a "demonstration of aggressive war," with "new levels of deterrence."

The 'three-way' threat of the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, which ignores the security concerns of regional countries and relentlessly strengthens joint warfighting capabilities, is becoming more clearly defined.

— North Korean military commentatorDescribing the perceived threat posed by the trilateral military cooperation.

A military commentary published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 4 asserted that the "three-way" alliance between the U.S., Japan, and South Korea is increasingly evident, disregarding regional security concerns while relentlessly enhancing joint warfighting capabilities. The commentary specifically cited the RIMPAC exercise, held off Hawaii for about a month starting in late June, as proof of this escalating threat.

North Korea's commentary defined the U.S.-Japan-South Korea cooperation as a "new security crisis" in the region. It emphasized that responding to "new levels of threat with new levels of deterrence" is the consistent method North Korea employs for "controlling the situation and managing crises."

Responding to new levels of threat with new levels of deterrence is the consistent method of our state for controlling the situation and managing crises.

— North Korean military commentatorStating North Korea's policy for dealing with perceived military escalations.

The commentary further criticized the "leading roles" played by Japan and South Korea in RIMPAC, stating they were "thoroughly subservient to the realization of America's hegemonic strategy." It pointed out that South Korea commanded the multinational naval forces during the exercise, while Japan served as the deputy commander of the joint task force. North Korea interpreted this as a clear indication of the U.S. strategy to strengthen interoperability with Seoul and Tokyo and shift greater security burdens onto them, thereby solidifying its absolute military hegemony in the Asia-Pacific.

The leading roles played by Japan and South Korea in the exercise were not symbolic but for actual operational execution.

— Jeffrey Jablon, U.S. Pacific Fleet Deputy CommanderQuoted by North Korea to support its claim that the exercise was a "demonstration of aggressive war."
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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