North Korea Raises Level of Criticism Against Japan Daily...Checks Trilateral Cooperation with the US and South Korea

Actively Supporting the Stance Against Japan
Checking Trilateral Military Cooperation

North Korea has been intensifying its offensive by issuing increasingly harsh criticism specifically targeting Japan’s potential review of its nuclear policy and recent joint military exercises with the United States. This is interpreted as a strategic attempt to constrain Japan, the main axis of the trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the United States, and Japan, while solidifying the North Korea-China-Russia alliance.

According to Yonhap News on August 9, the Korean Central News Agency and the Rodong Sinmun strongly denounced remarks by Japanese officials regarding a possible revision of the country’s nuclear policy, describing them as "the nuclear militarization of a former war criminal nation" and "a transition to a war state."

Kim Yo-jong, Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued a statement on August 5 mentioning the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Tomahawk missile test-launch, warning that "an additional, clear military option will be set." The following day, North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea. Although the Japanese government reaffirmed its commitment to the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," North Korea dismissed this as "a cheap trick."

Analysts point out that North Korea, which has maintained indifference toward the South, is now directing "selective criticism" at Japan due to shared strategic interests with China, which also seeks to check Japanese power. The fact that North Korea’s criticism of Japan has become increasingly frequent following the North Korea-China summit during Kim Jong Un’s visit to China for the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in September last year also supports this analysis.

Experts believe that in light of China and Russia’s joint declaration to counter trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan, as well as U.S. extended deterrence, North Korea is acting in alignment—taking the lead in a full-scale offensive against Japan in order to impede closer U.S.-Japan ties and Japan’s push for military expansion.

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