북한, 연일 일본 때리기…“일 방위백서는 재침백서”

North Korea condemned Japan's 2026 Defense White Paper as a "renewed military threat" that aims to "legitimize the activation of war machines" according to the report. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper featured a commentary by Gong Won-chul, a noted expert on international security issues, who criticized Japan's Defense White Paper for portraying "borderline and desperate threats" to the Republic of Korea and other neighboring countries as "consequential and imminent threats."

The annual Defense White Paper, released recently under the leadership of Yoshihide Suga, described North Korea's military developments as "an even more serious and imminent threat to Japan's security," and also assessed the military cooperation between North Korea, Russia, and China as a "serious concern to Japan's security." Gong Won-chul argued that Japan's excessive focus on its own security concerns and its alliance-building with the United States and its allies is reminiscent of a past when it suppressed the truth about criminal acts and militarized its nation through a strategic partnership with the United States and its allies.

He asserted that Japan is on a path to militarization that is "more desperate and consequential than ever," and that it poses the most urgent and pressing threat to the global community today. North Korea has continued to criticize Japan's military moves, including the recent condemnation of Japan's long-range submarine missile test launch and its response to North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs even issued a statement in response to North Korea's criticism, stating that North Korea's criticisms are a recurring theme every year, but that the recent increase in criticism reflects North Korea's efforts to justify its nuclear weapons program by aligning itself with China and Russia.