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U.S. and Japan Hold Joint War Exercises in Failed Attempt to Intimidate DPRK

As part of the ongoing aggression of the U.S. and its allies towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) for purposes of trying to force regime change, the U.S. and Japanese military on April 12 held joint war exercises to the east of the Korean Peninsula in the East Sea/Sea of Japan.

The following day, the U.S. 7th Fleet posted photos of the joint exercises on Twitter stating that “During bilateral exercises between Abraham Lincoln [Carrier Strike Group] and [Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force], the two navies strengthen all-domain awareness and maneuvers across a distributed maritime environment.” “Bilateral operations like this one reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the Twitter statement added.

News agencies also speculated that the timing of the exercises was intended to intimidate the DPRK in advance of the 110th anniversary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung on April 15. Nonetheless, the DPRK carried out the successful test-firing of a new type of tactical guided weapon as part of strengthening its own national defence. A report published by Rodong Sinmun stated that “The new-type tactical guided weapon system developed under special attention of the Party Central Committee is of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units and enhancing the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes of the DPRK and diversification of their firepower missions.”

The DPRK has developed such weapons and nuclear deterrents since attempts for negotiated agreements with the U.S. to ensure its security and the well-being of its people have been rejected and instead sanctions have been applied by the U.S. and its allies like Canada.

News agencies report this is the first time a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier has entered the East Sea since November 2017. The U.S. and Japan had repeatedly proposed three-way military exercises involving the Republic of Korea during high-level consultations between the three countries in February and March, but the south Korean government reportedly did not agree to participate. Back in November 2017, the U.S. also deployed three aircraft carriers, including the USS Ronald Reagan, to carry out three-way joint training in the East Sea, but the south Korean government did not respond that time either.

On this prior occasion, the DPRK did not give in to this kind of “pressure” and launched its Hwasong-15 ICBM later that month and also declared the “completion” of the country’s national nuclear force.

In related news, south Korea has become the first Asian member state of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE), the country’s Yonhap news agency reported on May 5. China’s Global Times noted some of the implications. By cooperating with south Korea’s spy agency, the U.S.-led NATO is attempting to turn the northeast Asian country into a chess piece to contain China and Russia in the realm of cyber defence. It has extended its cyber defence to the Korean Peninsula, northeast Asia and even the Indo-Pacific region, paving the way for the interference of Western forces in regional geopolitical affairs, Global Times said.

TML Daily, posted May 5, 2022.

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