The Minister of Defense of North KoreaNo Kwang Chol, pointed out that the North Korean regime will launch actions “more offensive” against their “enemies” following the new launch of a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan shortly after the symbolic visit of the United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.
“In the future, all threats that invade our security sphere will become direct targets of the DPRK and will be managed in the necessary manner. We are ready to respond to everything. We will show more offensive action against the threat of enemies on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace through powerful force,” the North Korean minister said in a statement reported by the state news agency KCNA.
Although he did not mention the missile launch, he did justify a more belligerent attitude due to the recent joint exercises carried out in the area by the South Korean and US armies and the conversations that Hegseth has held in the Asian country.
“This is a stark revelation and an intentional and unveiled expression of their hostile nature to oppose the DPRK to the end,” No Kwang Chol said.
Likewise, he said that they will “never” avoid “the response” since they have “no other option” due to the “hostility” of the United States towards North Korea. “What does the world expect us to do, imagining what position we will be in under such circumstances?” the note says.
America remains prepared
He US Army Indo-Pacific Command He assured that the launch has not posed a threat to US forces, although he has described North Korea’s military movement as “destabilizing.”
“We are aware of the missile launch and maintain close communication with our allies and partners. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, nor to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s actions. The United States remains prepared to defend its territory and its allies in the region,” the military body said in a statement.
Seoul condemns Pyongyang’s actions
For their part, South Korean authorities condemned the recent actions of their northern neighbor and have regretted Pyongyang’s rejection of bilateral cooperation in military and defense matters between South Korean and US authorities, while calling for a reduction in tensions on the peninsula.
“The armed forces of the South strongly condemn the recent launch of ballistic missiles by the North and express deep regret over (Pyongyang’s) statement denouncing the annual exercises and conference between South Korea and the United States,” the South Korean Defense Ministry said in a press release reported by the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
In the same letter, the country’s government urged the North Korean authorities to “immediately stop” any act that compromises stability in the region.
These statements come after the South Korean Army denounced early this Friday the launch of a short-range missile from North Korea, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned the day before that he would adopt retaliatory measures in protest of the latest United States sanctions against individuals and entities linked to Pyongyang.
He This Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions against eight North Korean citizens.including two bankers, and two entities linked to North Korea for their relationship with cybercrimes and money laundering; a measure to which Pyongyang promised to take “appropriate measures.”
