Seoul: North Korea on Thursday denounced the United States for its recent back-to-back military exercises in the West Pacific, conducted jointly with other countries, including Australia and Japan, calling them "highly provocative."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that if the U.S. and its allies continue military actions that threaten peace and security in the Asia Pacific region, they will provoke protest and retaliation from regional countries. The KCNA highlighted two recent U.S.-led multinational military exercises: Talisman Sabre in northeastern Australia with 18 other nations last month, and a separate military exercise in the Philippine Sea of the Western Pacific from August 4-12, involving Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, and Spain.
The KCNA described these exercises as "highly sensational and provocative" in both content and elements. It also noted another upcoming "manic" exercise on the Korean Peninsula-the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drills between Seoul and Washington, scheduled for August 18-28.
The news agency warned that joint military exercises by the U.S. and its allies could have negative consequences for the security situation of countries in the region, emphasizing that the willingness of these countries to respond physically should not be underestimated.