On the 11th, North Korea criticized the United States for its concept of multi-domain operations, calling it a “product of hegemonic ambitions designed to suppress the economic and military power of potential adversaries like Russia and China.”
The Rodong Sinmun published an article titled “Extremely Reckless Stage of Military Hegemonic.” It referred to U.S. joint military exercises such as Valiant Shield and Ulchi Freedom Guardian, claiming that these exercises are a dangerous trend where the U.S. war concept of multi-domain operations is practically applied in the Asia-Pacific region with plans to be expanded over time.
Multi-domain operations refer to a concept of operating various forces in six areas including traditional domains such as ground, air, and sea, as well as space, cyber, and electromagnetic fields. This U.S. Army operation is designed to envision how the U.S. and its allies will win in future international conflicts.
The newspaper criticized the U.S. for rushing to devise a new war strategy and introduce it into joint military exercises, accusing it of its ambition to dominate the commonwealth of humanity like outer space and other advanced technology areas, into a battlefield to ensure their superiority.
The article also argued that the war concepts previously proposed by the U.S., such as the Air-Sea Battle and Third Offset Strategy, were designed to suppress the growing economic and military power of potential enemies like Russia and China during the period of decline in the U.S.
The article further claimed that the integrated national power of potential adversaries is getting stronger by the minute. It argued that multi-domain operations are a new bundle that the U.S. has enhanced and put together from the contents of the Air-Sea Battle and Third Offset Strategy.
It emphasized, “The U.S. is going crazy to master new war tactics by involving its allies and follower nations. The U.S.’s hegemonic ambition and its parasitic group have reached an extremely reckless and dangerous stage, invading even the peaceful development space of humanity without hesitation and any means and methods.”
North Korea often reacts sensitively to joint military exercises between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. This time, it accused the U.S. of trying to start a war by expanding its operational domains through a multi-domain operations concept. North Korea’s focus on space and cyber can be seen as its way of expressing its anxiety and dissatisfaction with the expansion of U.S. influence in space and advanced technology areas.