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North Korea on Monday condemned upcoming maritime drills by South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, calling the exercises a “threat” to the country and accusing Washington of maintaining a hostile policy toward Pyongyang.
The three countries are set to hold the North Korea-focused Freedom Edge exercise from Sept. 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island. Seoul has described the drills as defensive.
“The U.S. military announced its plan to stage the U.S.-Japan-ROK multi-domain joint military exercises Freedom Edge, which constitute a threat to the DPRK and regional countries,” North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by state-run KCNA.
DPRK refers to North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, while ROK refers to South Korea.
A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused Washington of carrying out “air espionage and other anti-DPRK military provocations one after another.”
“The Trump administration has thus fully reconfirmed its invariable hostile policy to wantonly violate the sovereignty, political system and security interests of the DPRK,” the spokesperson said.
North Korea also defended its nuclear arsenal, describing it as “the most responsible and correct option for ensuring regional peace and security” and an “absolute guarantee for defending its sovereignty.”
Freedom Edge was first held in June 2024 following an agreement reached by the leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan at their Camp David summit in 2023.
The exercises come as U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for another meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Seoul and Washington recently completed the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which Trump ordered scaled back from 11 days to five, citing high costs and his relationship with Kim.
Despite Trump’s overtures, North Korea has shown little sign of reciprocating.
Pyongyang has continued missile launches and condemned the reduced military exercises, as well as Washington’s approval of arms sales to South Korea and plans to fund programs documenting human rights abuses in North Korea.
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