U.S., Japan, Korea strengthen military cooperation: where will it lead?
North Korea’s celebration of Navy Day received a minute’s coverage on Euro News today under the heading “No Comment.” Indeed there is not much the television viewer can say, given that the video of the North Korean leader visiting naval headquarter together with his daughters was broadcast by Euronews without any translation. https://www.euronews.com/video/2023/08/29/watch-north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-visits-navy-headquarters-with-his-daughter
Meanwhile, Russian state television (Sixty Minutes) provided viewers not only with video but with extensive reporting on what Kim Jong Un was actually saying. His words might send a shiver up the spine of U.S. sailors on board any the naval vessels now doing exercises off the coast of the Korean peninsula. Kim remarked that the U.S., Korean and Japanese ships now performing exercises in the neighboring waters constitute the greatest concentration of naval hardware on earth. He went on to say that North Korea is now preparing its response: to raise the nuclear capability of its own navy and to prepare for a possible nuclear war.
These developments did not escape the attention of Iran’s Press TV, which early this afternoon organized an on-air discussion of military and geopolitical developments in and around Korea.
North Korea warns of 'nuclear war' as US, Japan, South Korea stage drills
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I was pleased to join the Press TV correspondent based in Korea who has a firm command of local history and current politics in the region. My own contribution was to try to distinguish between the sound of alarm sounded by Kim over what he perceives as direct threats to Pyongyang and the real objective of the United States in raising tensions in the region: namely to bring together South Korea and Japan, countries which have no particular liking for one another, under the pretext of North Korean threats, for the sake of common effort actually directed against China. This triangular relationship, like the forging of the AUKUS alliance and the NATO outreach to the Far Eastern allies of the United States, is part of a strategic preparation for armed conflict with the PRC in the coming several years.
However, as I see it, this new triangle will likely give rise to formation of a counter-triangle force, Russia-China-North Korea. This strategic alignment is as yet only beginning to emerge from Russia’s recent casting aside inhibitions and opening serious military cooperation with Pongyang. China is so far holding back, but we should have no illusions on that score if the U.S. proceeds with creation of its anti-Chinese coalition.
©Gilbert Doctorow, 2023