Kim Yo-jong of North Korea Criticizes US, Japan, and South Korea for Threatening Asia-Pacific Security... Objects to Japan's Tomahawk Test Launch

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers' Party of Korea, has criticized Japan's moves to bolster its military, claiming that the United States is undermining stability in the Asia-Pacific region by using Japan and South Korea as its proxies.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 5, Vice Director Kim issued a statement titled "Japan’s Possession of Preemptive Strike Capabilities as a War Criminal State Is a Major Threat to International Peace and Stability," asserting, "In the Asia-Pacific region, the United States is deploying underling proxies such as Japan and South Korea to the forefront, seriously infringing upon the security interests of anti-imperialist, independent nations."

She went on to criticize, "Amid the United States' exclusive and aggressive foreign policy aimed at hegemony, Japan’s military expansion in the Asia-Pacific—the world’s largest hot spot—is precipitating a dangerous situation that gravely threatens international peace and stability."

Her comments appear to be a response to Japan’s participation in a United States-led joint military exercise held last May on Luzon Island in the Philippines, as well as the test launch of a Tomahawk long-range cruise missile from the MSDF Aegis destroyer Joukai, supported by the U.S. military, on July 28. Kim mentioned Japan's deployment of anti-ship guided missiles, glide bombs, and other assets with the Self-Defense Forces, stating, "Deploying operational assets across domains—including land, sea, underwater, and air—in the frontline area is reorganizing Japan’s entire force posture into one focused on preemptive strikes and overseas invasions."

Kim also asserted that the United States is behind Japan's military buildup. She said, "It was the United States that provided Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Japan, modified vessels so that they could be equipped and operated, and created all the conditions and environment necessary for the test launch."

She further warned, "We will never stand idly by as Japan’s military evolution becomes a grave threat to the security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In response to Japan’s current transformation, we will establish additional, clear military options."

Hong Min, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, "The key point is that Kim Yo-jong has now begun to publicly express her stance on military developments involving the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Through this statement, North Korea has demonstrated that it regards Japan’s so-called counterstrike capabilities and precision strike weaponry—pertaining to offensive defense strategies—as real threats and is responding with pronounced sensitivity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.