The North Korean military has accused the Pentagon of exacerbating tensions on the Korean peninsula and pushing the region dangerously close to a nuclear disaster. In a lengthy statement carried by state media on Monday, Pyongyang warned that any misstep could result in a “shocking accident.” The Defense Ministry in North Korea claimed that the US’s plan to send nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea on a rotational basis was a provocative military action that could lead to a “nuclear conflict.”
According to an unnamed military spokesman, the US’s attempt to introduce strategic nuclear weapons into the Korean peninsula constituted nuclear blackmail and posed a grave threat to regional and global peace and security. North Korea also accused the US of increasing its spying activities and breaching its airspace, warning that the US would have to pay a high price for its provocative air espionage.
The spokesman further stated that there was no guarantee that a “shocking accident” like the downing of a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane would not occur in the East Sea of Korea. The US was urged to recall the tragic fate of its previous aerial spy assets, such as the downing of an EC-121 plane in 1969 and an OH-58 helicopter in 1994. North Korea asserted that it had been maintaining utmost patience and self-control but emphasized that there was a limit to everything and that the US was nearing a critical point of concern.
The US and South Korea have intensified their joint air and navy drills this year, with the US deploying strategic assets like heavy bombers and an aircraft carrier. These deployments are considered provocations by North Korea, which typically responds with verbal threats, conducting drills of its own, or engaging in new weapons tests.
In April, US President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, announced increased nuclear cooperation under the Washington Declaration. This program involves periodic deployments of nuclear-armed submarines and bombers to South Korea for the first time in nearly 50 years. Although there is no precise timeframe for this deployment, a US nuclear-powered submarine, armed with cruise missiles but no nuclear weapons, recently made a port call at Busan.
The tension between North Korea and the US has been an ongoing issue, causing concern for the international community. The situation on the Korean peninsula remains precarious, with the potential for a catastrophic nuclear event if tensions continue to escalate. It is crucial for both countries to engage in diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation and find a peaceful resolution to the long-standing conflict.
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