PYONGYANG: North Korea has strongly criticized the recent deployment of American nuclear-capable bombers in South Korea, cautioning that these aircraft could be its “primary targets for destruction” if an actual conflict were to erupt.
In an official statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang expressed severe reservations about the positioning of a B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber in South Korea, asserting that the United States’ “military provocations are escalating to a more dangerous level.”
The statement went on to accuse the United States of engaging in a deliberate effort “to incite a nuclear war.” North Korea emphasized that it considers the Korean Peninsula to be legally in a state of war and warned that strategic assets located within its perceived enemy’s territory would be the first to face destruction in such a scenario.
The Pentagon made a highly visible display of the B-52 bomber when it arrived in Seoul, conducting flyovers alongside several other American warplanes, including F-22 and F-16 fighter jets. The US Air Force’s Pacific division stated that this move underlined Washington’s commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region while strengthening military ties with South Korea.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced that the US military would increase the “regular visibility” of strategic military assets on the Korean Peninsula to enhance deterrence against North Korea. Subsequently, the Pentagon dispatched a nuclear ballistic missile submarine to South Korea, marking the first such deployment since 1981. This move also elicited strong condemnation from North Korea.
North Korea Accuses US of Provoking Nuclear War
North Korea underscored that it had officially codified a new nuclear weapons doctrine into law the previous September, declaring the irreversibility of its nuclear capability. It also authorized the first use of nuclear weapons if an imminent enemy attack is perceived.
The statement emphasized the belief that the era when the United States held a monopoly over the right to preemptive strikes has ended, with the recent deployment of the B-52 bomber being seen as a serious military step aimed at the physical elimination of North Korea.
In recent years, North Korea has increased its missile testing activities, asserting that these tests are solely for defensive purposes. The US, Japan, and South Korea, however, maintain that these actions violate international law and contribute to heightened regional tensions.
