Lead
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has denounced the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) for expanding its command structure, accusing it of transforming into a "war command center" with plans for "an all-out war in the Asia Pacific region." The criticism, reported by both TASS and Yonhap News, comes after the USFJ commander confirmed an increase in personnel to improve coordination with Japan's Self-Defense Forces.Coverage Comparison
Two international wire services, TASS and Yonhap News, reported on the KCNA's statement, both attributing the criticism to an editorial in North Korea's state media. The reports detail similar facts, including the increase in USFJ personnel and the KCNA's accusations. However, the framing differs slightly, with TASS emphasizing the transformation of the USFJ into a "war command" and Yonhap focusing on North Korea's criticism of the troop increase.Key Claims
The KCNA editorial, as reported by both outlets, said the USFJ is being turned into a "war command center" with a "sinister" plan to wage "an all-out war in the Asia Pacific region." The agency claimed that the USFJ commander, Lt. Gen. Stephen F. Jost, described armed conflicts as a certainty, with North Korea as the "first target." Yonhap reported that Jost, in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, said the USFJ had added 215 personnel since last year to "help strengthen its command structure" and "improve coordination" with Japanese forces in preparation for "a potential regional crisis." He was also quoted as saying the question was "not 'if' but 'when'" a crisis would emerge in what he called "a very dynamic" part of the world.According to the KCNA, as reported by TASS, the US plans to integrate the command and control system with the Joint Operational Command of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, which was established last year. The reform's purpose is to ensure joint actions of the US and Japan's armies in the event of war and to expand US troops' capabilities for independent operations in the region. The agency also drew a historical parallel with the command of the US army during the Korean War, saying the transformation would be "a direct path to a shameful defeat."
The KCNA also criticized combined joint sustainment training conducted by the US and South Korea earlier this month, according to Yonhap. Additionally, it cited trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan, including the annual Freedom Edge exercise, as justification for North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear weapons. TASS's report similarly noted that the KCNA said the US, Japan, and South Korea continue to strengthen military cooperation through joint exercises, indicating Washington's course toward confrontation with North Korea and requiring Pyongyang to further strengthen its nuclear deterrence capabilities.