North Korea Slams South Korea Over Participation in US-Led Naval Exercise

North Korea has strongly criticized South Korea for taking part in the United States-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise, describing Seoul as a "puppet" of Washington and warning that the joint drills could trigger tensions in the region.

In a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday, Pyongyang accused the United States and South Korea of increasing military cooperation and said they would be responsible for any "unpredictable escalation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The criticism followed this year's RIMPAC exercise in Hawaii, where South Korea's navy led the multinational maritime force for the first time. The biennial exercise involved about 30 countries, including Japan, Canada, and Australia.

North Korea claimed the drills were not routine military training but a demonstration of force aimed at countries in the Indo-Pacific. It also condemned recent joint U.S.-South Korea Marine Corps exercises, alleging they simulated operations deep inside enemy territory.

The statement marks the first time in more than a year that North Korea has publicly referred to South Korea as a "puppet," signaling a renewed escalation in hostile rhetoric.

The comments come as North Korea continues to modernize its naval forces. Earlier this month, leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of a strategic cruise missile and weapons tests aboard the country's new 5,000-ton destroyer, Kang Kon.

Military tensions on the Korean Peninsula have remained high amid expanding defense cooperation between the United States, South Korea, and their regional allies.

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