North Korea condemns RIMPAC naval exercise as 'war rehearsal'

North Korea on Tuesday condemned the U.S.-led RIMPAC naval exercise, which concluded July 31 in Hawaii with 30,000 personnel from 30 countries, as a "war rehearsal" and vowed to respond with enhanced deterrence. The state-run Korean Central News Agency's unnamed military commentator criticized expanded military roles for South Korea and Japan, accusing Washington of seeking regional military hegemony. North Korea has repeatedly condemned joint U.S.-South Korean exercises and increasingly criticized Japan's military expansion.