North Korea’s defense minister, Kang Sun Nam, stated that the presence of U.S. weapons such as aircraft carriers, bombers, and missile submarines in South Korea could potentially trigger the use of nuclear weapons, according to state media KCNA. This statement escalates tensions between the two countries as they continue to display military force in response to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
The defense minister’s statement also criticized the United States and South Korea for exacerbating tensions in the region, specifically mentioning their nuclear consultative group. The statement emphasized that the increasing visibility of strategic assets like nuclear submarines may meet the conditions outlined in North Korea’s law for the use of nuclear weapons.
The remark specifically refers to the Ohio-class U.S. nuclear-powered submarine that recently arrived in the port of Busan. North Korea views this deployment as a dangerous development that brings the Korean peninsula closer to a military clash.
In addition to these developments, a U.S. soldier crossed the border into North Korea, further heightening tensions between the two Koreas and the United States. North Korea has not yet commented on this incident.
Last year, North Korea passed a new nuclear law that declared its status as a nuclear-armed state “irreversible.” This move was aimed at solidifying their nuclear weapons policy and preventing any negotiations regarding their nuclear arsenal.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, emphasized the importance of this legislation, stating that it draws a clear line and eliminates the possibility of bargaining over their nuclear weapons.
In conclusion, North Korea’s defense minister’s statement regarding the potential use of nuclear weapons in response to the deployment of U.S. weapons in South Korea raises tensions in the region. The remark specifically refers to the recent arrival of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine in Busan. This development, along with a U.S. soldier crossing the border into North Korea, further exacerbates the already heightened tensions between the two Koreas and the United States. North Korea’s nuclear law, passed last year, solidifies their status as a nuclear-armed state and eliminates the possibility of negotiations regarding their nuclear weapons.
