North Korea Warns of Military Imbalance Amidst US-Japan-South Korea Security Partnership

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned of a growing military imbalance on the Korean Peninsula, citing the establishment of a US-Japan-South Korea trilateral security partnership. In a speech marking the 77th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army on Saturday, Kim described the partnership as a US plot to form a NATO-like regional military bloc. He stated that the partnership poses a "grave challenge to the security environment of our state." This statement further suggests that Kim is unlikely to engage in diplomacy with President Donald Trump anytime soon, despite Trump's overtures for a meeting.