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Pyongyang slams Japan-U.S.-France naval exercise

Published: 25 Feb. 2025, 12:45

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen in a photo which was taken at a construction commencement ceremony in Pyongyang this month. [YONHAP]

North Korea on Tuesday denounced Japan's recent joint naval exercise with the United States and France as an attempt to revive their militaristic invasion ambitions.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism in a commentary, citing a joint naval exercise conducted by Japan, the United States and France earlier this month in waters near the Philippines, which involved U.S. and French aircraft carriers and a Japanese warship.

Citing Japan's membership in the U.S.-led multilateral security forum, the Quad, as well as its pursuit of joining the Aukus security partnership among the United States, Australia and Britain, North Korea accused Tokyo of threatening the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region and creating a new conflict structure.

The reality of deploying a de facto Japanese aircraft carrier to a distant location unrelated to its defense-only posture and joining forces with foreign invasion forces indicates that "militarists' overseas invasion ambitions have entered an implementation state," the KCNA said.

Yonhap