“American threats force us to develop stronger defenses”
North Korea has accused the United States of building a NATO-style military alliance in Asia, saying the US goal of ousting Pyongyang’s government compelled it to develop stronger defences.
North Korea’s allegations come amid fears it is planning its first nuclear test in five years, and after a recent agreement between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and US President Joe Biden to deploy more US deterrents in the region.
“By holding joint military exercises with Japan and South Korea, the United States is taking a step towards establishing an Asian-style NATO,” the North Korean foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. reference to recent military exercises conducted by US, South Korean and Japanese forces.
The United States also held separate exercises with South Korean forces involving a US aircraft carrier, for the first time in more than four years.
North Korea, which has carried out regular missile launches this year, reiterated its claim that such exercises were preparation for a war aimed at overthrowing it.
“It proves the hypocrisy of the American rhetoric of ‘diplomatic engagement’ and ‘dialogue without preconditions’, while revealing again that there is no change in the American ambition to overthrow our system by strength,” the North Korean ministry said. .
Without explicitly referring to its nuclear or missile programs, Pyongyang claimed that US hostility compelled it to develop its defenses.
“Reality (…) makes us feel the need to exert all possible efforts to develop an even stronger power in order to be able to counter all kinds of hostile acts on the part of the United States,” he said. declared.
The United States insists that North Korea renounce its nuclear weapons and has repeatedly offered to meet with North Korean officials “at any time and without preconditions” to discuss the issue. North Korea has so far rejected those offers.
The North Korean statements came a day before the South Korean president’s departure to attend a NATO summit in Spain, a first for a South Korean leader.
Keen to strengthen its partnership with NATO and play a bigger role in global security, Seoul plans to set up a delegation to NATO at its headquarters in Brussels, the South Korean adviser said last week. to national security.
