The United States, Japan, and South Korea are forming a military alliance that strongly resembles NATO, according to North Korea’s Foreign Ministry. This alliance has been met with strong criticism by the North Korean government, which views it as a threat to regional stability.
In a statement cited by state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang “strongly denounced” what they called “reckless and provocative military muscle-flexing” by Washington, Tokyo, and Seoul, referring specifically to the Freedom Edge military drills that took place between June 27th and 29th. These exercises were designed to promote trilateral interoperability and protect freedom for peace and stability. They included a number of warships such as the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, according to the US Navy.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry claimed that the real goal of the US is “world domination” and encirclement of independent states. This policy “has already crossed the red-line and is bringing about a very negative change in the world security environment,” the statement reads.
According to Pyongyang, the Freedom Edge drill was an attempt to cement a military bloc comprising the US, Japan, and South Korea, which has committed to “cope with any threat faced by one of the three.” This provision, North Korean officials have argued, is reminiscent of the NATO collective defense clause – meaning that an attack on one member must be treated as an attack on all members.
This means that the US-Japan-ROK [South Korea] relations have taken on the full-fledged appearance of Asian version [of] NATO,” the ministry stressed.
North Korea has long protested against US exercises near the Korean peninsula, seeing them as rehearsals for a possible invasion. Pyongyang has also conducted numerous artillery and missile tests in the area.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the US-led military bloc has no plans to expand into Asia but emphasized the need for it to respond to the ever-changing security landscape in the region. In 2021, the US, UK, and Australia established a security partnership called AUKUS, which saw Washington and London commit to assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
North Korea’s concerns over this emerging alliance must be addressed, as it could lead to further tensions and potential conflicts in the region if not properly managed by all parties involved.