On edge over ‘Asian Nato’

Show of force: The ‘USS Theodore Roosevelt’, anchored in Busan. The newly inaugurated Freedom Edge exercise recently ended in the East China Sea, having brought together Japanese, South Korean and American naval assets for multi-domain manoeuvres for the first time. — AP

North Korea denounced joint military drills by South Korea, Japan and the United States, calling them an “Asian version of Nato” and warning of “fatal consequences”.

It comes a day after the allies wrapped up three-day exercises, dubbed “Freedom Edge”, in ballistic missile and air defences, anti-submarine warfare and defensive cyber training.