SEOUL, March 13 (Reuters) - ⁠North Korea accused Japan of heightening ⁠regional security risks by accelerating the deployment ‌and development of long-range missiles, saying Tokyo's military buildup amounted to preparations for a future attack, state ​media KCNA said on Friday. KCNA ⁠said in a commentary ⁠that Japan had begun deploying an upgraded version ⁠of ‌its Type 12 surface-to-ship missile in Kumamoto and planned to position ⁠other long-range systems across multiple prefectures, putting ​neighbouring countries ‌within range. The commentary said Japan was ⁠pouring resources ​into extending missile ranges and adapting them for launches from land, sea and air, calling ⁠the systems "clearly long-range offensive weapons." KCNA ​dismissed Japan's claim that the buildup was for self-defence, saying it reflected ambitions to secure attack ⁠capabilities and was part of "war preparations for re-invasion." (Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed)

Source: The Star March 13, 2026 09:55 UTC