N. Korea slams US, Japan for turning alliance into 'nuclear' coalition
A B-52 strategic bomber, escorted by South Korea's F-15K and the U.S. Air Force's F-16 fighter jets, flies over an air base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, Jan. 10, 2016. Yonhap
North Korea on Friday slammed the United States and Japan for turning their alliance into a threatening "nuclear" coalition, claiming the move justifies its own defense buildup.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism in an article by a North Korean international affairs analyst, citing last year's upgrade of U.S.-Japan consultations on extended deterrence to the ministerial level and the two countries' recent reaffirmation of extended deterrence guidelines.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' stated commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its ally.
North Korea also cited Japanese authorities' recent tour to a base for U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and the staging of a joint military drill simulating nuclear use.
"It shows the U.S.-Japan military alliance is turning into a dangerous 'nuclear alliance,'" the article said, accusing Japan of attempting to "embark on the road of invasion ... with the backing of the U.S."
It claimed that the U.S. is driving the regional situation to a "dangerous touch-and-go" condition by deploying nuclear strategic assets at naval and air bases in Hawaii, Guam and Japan and staging joint military drills with its "junior allies."
The article also accused Japan of attempting to challenge nuclear powers through its nuclear alliance with the U.S., describing it as "an extremely dangerous attempt" and warning that it can "bring a nuclear disaster to the world."
"What should not be overlooked is the fact that Japan is ... making it a fait accompli that the target of the U.S.-Japan nuclear alliance is none other than the DPRK and other neighboring countries," the article claimed.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official North Korean name.
The article said these facts demonstrate the country's buildup of its "self-defensive" capabilities, aimed at ensuring balance in the region and defending its territory from "the ever-increasing attempt of the enemy countries," is "quite just."