North Korea has accused the United States of preparing for a possible conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, criticising recent efforts to strengthen the command structure of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ).
In a commentary published on July 31, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) condemned the expansion of USFJ personnel, alleging that Washington is transforming the force into "a war command center" as part of what it described as plans to wage "an all-out war in the Asia-Pacific region," Yonhap reports.
The criticism followed remarks by Lt. Gen. Stephen F. Jost, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, in an interview with Japan's Asahi Shimbun, published on Tuesday. Jost said USFJ had added 215 personnel since last year to strengthen its command structure and improve coordination with Japan's Self-Defense Forces in preparation for "a potential regional crisis."
The U.S. commander stressed the importance of maintaining "a constant state of preparedness," arguing that the question was "not 'if' but 'when'" a crisis would emerge in what he described as "a very dynamic" region.
KCNA claimed Jost's remarks suggested that armed conflict was viewed as inevitable rather than hypothetical and alleged that North Korea would be "the first target" of such a command structure.
The North Korean agency also criticised recent combined logistics and sustainment training conducted by South Korea and the United States earlier this month, as well as trilateral security cooperation involving Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, including the annual Freedom Edge military exercise.
Pyongyang argued that these military activities justify its continued development of nuclear weapons, which it has consistently described as essential for national defence.
By Vugar Khalilov
