SEOUL - North Korea has issued a stark warning in response to the recent nuclear deterrence guidelines agreed upon by Seoul and Washington. The new pact, aimed at bolstering military defenses, has been sharply criticized by Pyongyang as a grave provocation that could escalate regional tensions to dangerous levels.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a defense ministry spokesperson from North Korea denounced the agreement, formally known as the "Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula," which was signed in Washington, D.C. last Thursday. The guidelines intend to enhance the presence of U.S. strategic assets in the region, marking a significant increase in their deployment frequency and level during both wartime and peacetime. The North Korean spokesperson labeled the pact as a "reckless provocative act" by the U.S. and South Korea, which purportedly drives regional military tensions to new heights. The official narrative from Pyongyang describes this move as inflaming the situation with "extremely incendiary and malicious rhetoric and provocative action."
Furthermore, the statement issued by North Korea's Ministry of National Defense accused the allied nations of endangering regional security, claiming their actions necessitate Pyongyang's enhancement of its nuclear deterrent capabilities. The spokesperson emphasized the perceived provocations as the "root cause" of regional security threats, asserting that any continuation of such behavior by Seoul and Washington would compel North Korea to significantly upgrade its nuclear defensive posture. The warning concluded with a severe caution to the allied nations against further provocations, stating that ignoring this admonition would result in them paying an "unimaginably harsh price."