KB News Desk
North Korea on Friday denounced South Korea’s leading role in a recent US-led multinational maritime exercise, warning that the drills would trigger “proportional countermeasures” from countries in the region.
In a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang accused participants in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, or RIMPAC, of escalating military tensions in the Pacific.
“The reckless acts of international outlaws are bound to prompt a chain of proportional countermeasures by regional countries to resolutely deter and contain them,” KCNA said.
It added that strengthening military deterrence to defend national sovereignty and regional stability was an “independent right that no one can prevent.”
KCNA, in particular, singled out South Korea, saying it had participated as a “main component” of the exercise and referring to its forces as “puppets.” It also described South Korean officials as “warmongers” pursuing an unprecedented campaign of confrontation against North Korea.
It went on to accuse the United States, South Korea and Japan of incorporating what it called preemptive attack elements practiced during exercises such as Ulchi Freedom Shield and Freedom Edge into RIMPAC’s ground and amphibious operations.
“These facts show which forces are shaking the foundation of global peace and security,” KCNA said, warning that they foreshadow the possibility of “unwanted situations” on the Korean Peninsula and in the wider region.
RIMPAC, billed by the US military as the world’s largest international maritime exercise, began June 24 in and around Hawaii and is scheduled to run through July 31. Some 30 countries, more than 30 ships, five submarines, over 200 aircraft and about 30,000 personnel are participating.
South Korea, which first joined the biennial exercise in 1990, is serving as the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander for the first time. Rear Adm. Kim In-ho, commander of the Republic of Korea Fleet, is overseeing the participating multinational maritime forces, making South Korea the first Asian country to assume the role.
According to the 2026 Global Firepower index, North Korea ranks sixth worldwide in the number of naval vessels, with 332, while South Korea ranks 12th with 215. By total fleet tonnage, however, South Korea ranks seventh with around 427,900 tons, far ahead of North Korea at 23rd with around 143,300 tons.
China, Russia and the United States rank first, second and third by vessel count, with 841, 747 and 465 vessels, respectively. By total fleet tonnage, the United States ranks first with around 8.27 million tons, followed by China with 3.19 million tons and Russia with 1.43 million tons.
