Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has threatened military retaliation following Japan’s test of a US-supplied Tomahawk cruise missile. In a statement released through state media, she accused Japan of abandoning its traditionally defensive military stance and evolving into an offensive power capable of preemptive strikes.
The North Korean official referenced Japan’s recent missile tests conducted from the Aegis destroyer Chokai in the Pacific, along with other weapons demonstrations and joint military exercises with the United States in the Philippines earlier this year. She warned that North Korea would respond with measures designed to demonstrate that Japan faces heightened security risks, using notably strong language directed at Tokyo.
Kim also held the United States responsible for Japan’s military expansion, claiming Washington has actively facilitated the buildup by providing missile systems, upgrading naval vessels, and endorsing weapons testing. Since July, North Korean state media has published numerous articles criticizing security partnerships between the US, Japan, and South Korea, portraying these alliances as destabilizing regional stability.
Regional analysts suggest North Korea is attempting to justify its own weapons development by characterizing Japan’s military modernization as a direct threat. Experts believe these statements could precede future military demonstrations, including additional missile launches or undersea weapons tests.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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