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Kim Yo-jong, Director of the General Affairs Department of the Workers' Party of Korea. / Yonhap

Kim Yo-jong, Director of the General Affairs Department of the Workers' Party of Korea, lashed out at Japan on the 5th, methodically citing its military moves. This is seen as an extension of the position taken the previous day by a military commentator and a Foreign Ministry spokesperson who criticized U.S.-led international coordination against North Korea. In particular, since this statement was issued "on the authority" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, concerns have emerged that North Korea could take concrete action, such as a provocation.

According to the North's state media outlet KCNA that day, Kim said in her statement, "On authorization, I make clear that our armed forces and military leadership will set additional, clear military options in response to Japan's transformation."

Citing Japan's recent test-launch of the U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missile by its Maritime Self-Defense Force, as well as a naval vessel sinking drill conducted during the Philippines' Balikatan exercise in May, Kim claimed these moves demonstrate that Japan's scheme to formalize preemptive strike capability — which she said violates international law barring the right to wage war and Japan's own constitution — is entering a real, actionable phase.

She also cited, one by one, missile systems Japan has already deployed operationally, including surface-to-ship guided missiles and glide bombs, saying Japan is restructuring its force posture into one geared for preemptive strikes and overseas aggression.

She also emphasized that the U.S. stands behind Japan, claiming that while the U.S. pushes NATO eastward in Europe to threaten Russia and tramples on peace and security in the Middle East, it is using Japan and South Korea as its "assault troops" in the Indo-Pacific to seriously infringe on the security interests of nations opposed to imperialism. She added that North Korea "will never stand idly by" in the face of Japan's military evolution.

Some observers note that since Kim issued the statement on Kim Jong-un's authority, North Korea could soon carry out a military provocation such as a ballistic or cruise missile launch.

North Korea has recently shown a heightened, sensitive response — issuing commentary and statements on nearly every development — to a series of moves including strengthened Korea-U.S.-Japan regional security cooperation, Japan's push toward rearmament, NATO's eastward expansion, and international pressure messaging aimed at North Korea. Experts assess that while North Korea is wary of U.S.-led international coordination translating into greater pressure on the North, it is also using these developments as an opportunity to deepen its alignment with China and Russia.

This context also explains why North Korea criticized both the participating countries of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), which issued a joint advisory on North Korean IT workers on the 4th, and the U.S., South Korea, and Japan for their participation in the RIMPAC exercise.

Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University, said, "North Korea appears to be continuously building justification for cooperation with China and Russia," adding that it is also building a case that nuclear weapons are naturally necessary for self-defense by repeatedly citing what it calls ongoing hostile acts in the Indo-Pacific region.

                                                                                                         Mok Yong-jae