- Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has warned that Pyongyang would adopt “additional military options” after Japan test-fired a United States-made Tomahawk cruise missile.
- In her statement, Kim accused Japan of moving beyond a defensive posture and transforming its armed forces into a force capable of pre-emptive attacks and overseas military operations.
- Kim cited Japan's recent Tomahawk test from the Aegis destroyer Chokai in the Pacific Ocean, as well as test-firings of other missiles and Japan’s participation in a US-led joint military drill in the Philippines in May.
- Kim stated that North Korea would respond in ways that made Japan feel that its security has been exposed to greater danger, asserting, “We should make it regret.”
- Since July, KCNA has published at least six editorials and commentaries denouncing these joint military activities as threatening regional security and raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
- Analysts suggest that Pyongyang is seeking to portray Japan's military modernization as a direct security threat to justify its own weapons development.
North Korea's Kim Yo Jong issued a stark warning regarding Japan's military advancements, particularly following its test of a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile.1
Kim accused Japan of abandoning a defensive posture, stating it is now capable of preemptive attacks.
"We should make it regret," she declared, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Citing Japan's recent military activities, including missile tests and participation in U.S.-led drills, Kim asserted that North Korea would respond in ways that would make Japan feel more vulnerable.
"The U.S. is behind such dangerous military moves of Japan," she added, blaming the United States for enabling Japan's military buildup.
Analysts suggest that North Korea is framing Japan's military modernization as a direct threat to justify its own weapons development.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, noted that Kim's comments aim to depict Japan's actions as part of a broader U.S. strategy to bolster military capabilities against North Korea.
The rhetoric may set the stage for future military demonstrations from Pyongyang, including missile tests or displays of undersea strike capabilities.
This statement is part of a series of North Korean critiques of U.S.-Japan-South Korea security cooperation, which has been denounced as a threat to regional stability.
“Kim accused the US of enabling Japan's buildup by supplying Tomahawk missiles and modifying vessels, saying "the US is behind such dangerous military moves of Japan." Since July, KCNA has published at least six editorials denouncing US-South Korea-Japan cooperation; analysts say Pyongyang portrays Japan's military modernization as a threat to justify its own weapons development.”
