Tensions on the Korean Peninsula continue to escalate. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has sharply criticized the arrival of a US nuclear-powered submarine in the South Korean port city of Busan. According to a statement from the North Korean Defense Ministry, published by the official news agency KCNA on Tuesday, this event poses “an undeniable threat to the security environment of the DPRK.”
The arrival of a nuclear-powered submarine on the Korean Peninsula is a “clear expression of the unchanging hysteria of the US for a confrontation” against Pyongyang, the statement said. “We express our great concern over this dangerous and hostile military act by the US, which can lead to the escalation of the acute military confrontation in the region around the Korean Peninsula into an actual armed conflict” it added. The North Korean military will “exercise its right to retaliate against provocateurs” the Defense Ministry emphasized.
The USS Alexandria, a US nuclear-powered attack submarine, arrived in Busan on Monday to replenish supplies and allow its crew to rest, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency on Tuesday.
The USS Alexandria is equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and is designed to detect and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, according to the official website of the US Navy. It can also be used for reconnaissance missions and in mine warfare.
The DPRK has traditionally been critical of the stationing of US weapons in the region and joint military exercises between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, viewing these actions as a great threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has threatened countermeasures and announced plans to strengthen all deterrent measures. According to reports, Pyongyang will continue to develop its nuclear deterrent forces. “The DPRK will not seek unnecessary tensions in the region, but will take sustained countermeasures to secure the regional military balance” Kim stated on Saturday during his visit to the Defense Ministry to mark the founding of the North Korean military.