(Seoul) North Korea condemned the United States and South Korea for conspiring to increase their deterrence against it, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and threatened more aggressive actions against the two countries.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday (November 8) that North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol criticized US Defense Secretary Hergsays and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek for visiting the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at Panmunjom on Monday (November 3) and holding a security meeting in Seoul afterwards, claiming that the two countries were conspiring to increase their deterrence against North Korea. He also stated that Hergsays' visit to the DMZ was intended to "incite war fever."
No Kwang-chol said, "This is a blatant and deliberate display of their hostility towards the Korean Nationalist People's Republic."
No Kwang-chol also criticized the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Washington for docking in Busan on Wednesday (November 5) after joint US-South Korea air exercises, further escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. He said, "We will take more aggressive action against enemy threats with strong force, upholding the principles of ensuring security and defending peace."
North Korea just launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Friday (July 7). South Korea's Ministry of National Defense condemned the missile launch on Saturday, calling on North Korea to "immediately cease all actions that escalate tensions between North and South Korea."
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Seoul also expressed regret over Pyongyang's criticism of the US-South Korea meeting, stating that the USS Washington's stop in Busan was for resupply and to allow crew members to take leave.
On the same day, the US Indo-Pacific Command stated that North Korea's missile launch "did not pose a direct threat to US personnel or territory, or to US allies," but highlighted its destabilizing potential.
US President Trump visited South Korea last week and met with President Lee Jae-myung. He subsequently announced approval for South Korea to build a nuclear submarine.
Analysts point out that Seoul's development of a nuclear submarine will significantly boost its naval and defense industry capabilities, placing it among the few countries possessing nuclear submarines, which is bound to provoke a strong response from Pyongyang.
