What did North Korea say about the South Korea-US and U.S.-Japan military exercises?

North Korea described the exercises as muscle flexing by enemy states and said a tit-for-tat principle based on strong power would be applied in response. It said the drills infringe upon the security interests of the DPRK and undermine regional strategic stability.

When will the Hoguk exercise end and which forces are participating?

The annual Hoguk field exercise is scheduled to run through Oct. 30. U.S. Forces Korea is participating alongside South Korean troops to enhance interoperability, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Why does North Korea say it will strengthen its military deterrence?

North Korea said repeated military provocations by the United States, South Korea and Japan have created a more dangerous security environment on the Korean Peninsula. It argued that escalating threats require stronger deterrence and the continued upgrading of self-defense capabilities.

N. Korea vows 'tit-for-tat' action against S. Korea-US military exercise

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Summary

North Korea denounced South Korea-US and separate U.S.-Japan military exercises on Tuesday and warned of tit-for-tat action. Pyongyang said the drills threaten its security interests and regional strategic stability. South Korea launched the annual Hoguk exercise Monday, while Japan began the Keen Sword drills with the United States. Hoguk is scheduled to continue through Oct. 30.

Key Facts

The Korean Central News Agency said North Korea would continue upgrading and demonstrating its self-defense deterrent in response to what it called U.S.-Japan-ROK provocations.
The Hoguk exercise involves U.S. Forces Korea to enhance interoperability with South Korean troops, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
North Korea said stronger deterrence and stronger capabilities would be needed to respond to escalating threats.
Japan and the United States began the large-scale Keen Sword military drills on the same day that South Korea launched Hoguk.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 20, 2026 9:25 pm KST

South Korean self-propelled howitzers are on standby in a training ground in the South Korean border city of Paju, Monday. Yonhap

North Korea on Tuesday denounced South Korea's ongoing joint military drills with the United States and a separate exercise between the U.S. and Japan, calling them "muscle flexing" by "enemy states."

In an English-language commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North warned that a "tit-for-tat principle based on strong power will be applied" in response to the military exercises.

"The present situation, in which the hostile forces get frantic in their military moves to infringe upon the security interests of the DPRK and undermine the regional strategic stability, highlights the validity and justness of the DPRK's indispensable self-defensive efforts to deter them," it said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The commentary came as South Korea launched the annual Hoguk field exercise involving U.S. forces Monday, while Japan also kicked off large-scale military drills with the U.S., called "Keen Sword," the same day.

On the South Korea-U.S. drills, Pyongyang slammed Seoul for not concealing the "aggressive and provocative nature" of the exercise, warning that escalating threats would require stronger deterrence.

"Bolstered deterrent is required to deal with ever-escalating threats, and repeated provocations are bound to meet with such prompt reaction as bolstering of stronger capabilities," the KCNA said.

"To cope with the security environment on the Korean peninsula that has been put in new danger by oft-repeated U.S.-Japan-ROK military provocations, the DPRK will continue to remind them of its will to defend sovereignty through ceaseless upgrading, bolstering and responsible demonstration of its reliable war deterrent for self-defence," it added.

The Hoguk exercise is scheduled to run through Oct. 30. The U.S. Forces Korea is also participating in the drills to enhance interoperability with South Korean troops, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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