Russia, China shun like-minded North Korea from anti-U.S. war games

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean forces remain at the base while Chinese and Russian warships conduct joint drills in what appears to be a counter to tightening cooperation between the United States and its Indo-Pacific allies.

The paradigm is puzzling, particularly given the value Pyongyang could contribute to a coalition of anti-U.S. powers in the region.

The isolated state commands a strategic location in Northeast Asia and deploys a constant stream of harsh rhetoric toward the United States and its allies. It fields weapons of mass destruction and a 1 million-strong military.

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