North Korea on Saturday denounced this week's annual security talks between South Korea and the United States as an 'intentional' expression of the allies' 'hostile' nature against it, vowing to take 'more offensive' actions against enemy threats. North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol's statement highlighted recent joint air drills and the visit to South Korea by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington. The remarks came a day after North Korea fired a suspected short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea.
North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol issued a statement on Saturday strongly criticizing the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between South Korea and the United States. The meeting was held in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss key alliance and defense issues. No described the talks as a 'correct' understanding of U.S. hostility toward Pyongyang, stating, "We have correctly understood the hostility of the U.S. to stand in confrontation with the DPRK to the last and will never avoid the response to it." DPRK refers to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
No pointed to recent joint air drills between Seoul and Washington, as well as the visit to South Korea by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, accusing the U.S. of 'intentionally' escalating political and military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. He warned, "We will show more offensive action against the enemies' threat on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace by dint of powerful strength." Additionally, he said that "all threats encroaching upon the sphere of the North's security" would become "direct targets" and be "managed in a necessary way."
The statement came a day after North Korea fired one suspected short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Friday. North Korea's state media did not report the launch, which followed its warning of 'proper' measures against fresh U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang. North Korea has remained unresponsive to dialogue offers from Seoul and Washington while resuming missile launches in recent weeks. Last week, it fired sea-to-surface cruise missiles ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering.
These actions highlight escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with South Korea-U.S. security cooperation prompting North Korea's hardened stance.
