North Korea has declared its military forces ready to respond decisively following the arrival of a US Navy fast-attack nuclear submarine in the South Korean port city of Busan, accusing the United States of endangering its national security.
State-run KCNA news agency on Tuesday quoted North Korea’s Ministry of Defence, which condemned the presence of the US submarine as a “clear expression of the US invariable hysteria for confrontation.” The ministry further warned that Washington’s “dangerous hostile military act” could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula into an “actual armed conflict.”
Pyongyang vowed to “unhesitatingly exercise the legitimate right to punish the provokers” and accused the US of being a “hegemonic entity” that relies on military dominance.
According to South Korea’s Defence Ministry, the USS Alexandria, a fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarine armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, docked in Busan on Monday for supplies and crew rest. The stop also serves as an opportunity for South Korean and US naval forces to exchange intelligence and strengthen their joint defense posture.
North Korea continues to view joint US-South Korea military activities as threats to regional stability, labeling them as rehearsals for an invasion. On Sunday, Pyongyang warned of “undesirable consequences” following a series of military drills conducted by the US and South Korea just 16 miles (25.7 km) from its border.
South Korea’s Armed Forces have yet to comment on North Korea’s latest statement.
