North Korea Warns South Korea Could Become Target as US Collective Defense Hub

North Korea has warned that South Korea could become a military target if it develops into a regional hub for US-led collective defense. Pyongyang described such an arrangement as a security threat and accused Washington and Seoul of expanding their military cooperation. The warning reflects growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where joint exercises, expanded deployments, and alliances have repeatedly drawn condemnation from the North. South Korea and the United States maintain that cooperation is defensive and intended to deter aggression.