SEOUL: Tensions between North Korea and the United States have escalated (US) as Seoul issued a warning of “more overwhelming and offensive” countermeasures against any intensified US military actions. The warning came in response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to China, where he discussed pressuring North Korea to engage in dialogue.
Kwon Jong-gun, director general of the Department of US Affairs at North Korea’s foreign ministry, issued the warning, criticizing Blinken’s remarks during his visit to Beijing. Kwon dismissed Blinken’s statement that China holds a “unique” position to influence North Korea and engage in dialogue, labeling it as “rubbish” and unhelpful to resolving the issue.
North Korea Warns US Against Violating Sovereignty
In an English-language statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kwon emphasized that North Korea’s counteraction measures would be extended even more overwhelmingly and offensively if there was an escalation of US military actions and provocations in the Korean Peninsula and the region. Kwon further warned that unless the US stops violating North Korea’s sovereignty and lifts its hostile policy, there will be no restraint in North Korea’s exercise of its right to self-defense.
The KCNA also featured a separate commentary criticizing the United States’ deployment of high-profile military assets to South Korea, specifically mentioning the recent arrival and departure of the USS Michigan guided missile submarine at a naval base in Busan. The commentary warned that such actions could have irretrievable catastrophic consequences for peace and security in the region and the world.
The United States had previously pledged to enhance the “regular visibility” of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula during the summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden in April. The presence of the USS Michigan was part of these efforts.
