By The South Asia Times

SEOUL - North Korea on Tuesday issued a stark warning over deepening military cooperation between the United States, Japan and South Korea, accusing the three nations of creating a "new security crisis" in the Asia-Pacific region and vowing to respond to "a threat of a new level with a deterrence of a new level".

In a commentary carried by state media KCNA, a military commentator said the "trinity" of the three countries was openly ignoring regional security concerns and steadily strengthening their combined war-fighting capabilities.

The commentary specifically pointed to the recently concluded Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world's largest multinational naval drill, which took place in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 24 to July 31. Pyongyang described the exercise as "a war rehearsal of aggression," noting that over 30,000 personnel, more than 30 surface warships, five submarines and at least 190 aircraft were involved.

The article took particular issue with the expanded operational roles played by South Korea and Japan, with Seoul's navy assuming command of the Combined Forces Maritime Component for the first time, while Tokyo served in a deputy command role. The deputy commander of the US Pacific Fleet reportedly stated these roles were "not a symbolic one but for the actual operation".

"The threat posed by the trinity of the US, Japan and the ROK is being settled as a new security crisis in the Asia-Pacific region," the commentary warned.

The commentary also criticized recent US-South Korea military activities, including the Buddy Squadron air drills and Combined Joint Sustainment Training, as well as plans to deploy the medium-range Typhon missile system in the region after its deployment in Japan. The Typhon system, capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of approximately 2,000 kilometers, has raised concerns from both Pyongyang and Moscow.

Japan has reportedly launched Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles it purchased from the US amid "open debate about going nuclear on its own accord," while South Korea has been developing a nuclear submarine citing "naval threats" from neighbors.

The commentary concluded that "the US confrontational racket and reckless acts of Japan and the ROK have already crossed the red line," warning that North Korea would respond appropriately.

"It is the DPRK's invariable mode of controlling situation and crisis to respond to a threat of new level with a deterrence of new level," the article stated.

The warning came just days after US, Japanese and South Korean military chiefs reaffirmed their trilateral security cooperation, describing it as "critical to effectively respond" to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats