North Korea’s Defense Minister, No Kwang Chol, has warned of further “offensive actions” following Pyongyang’s recent ballistic missile launch, which drew sharp criticism from the United States and South Korea.
The missile launch on Friday came less than a week after US President Donald Trump expressed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his regional tour. Pyongyang has not responded to Trump’s overture.
No accused Washington of being “bold in its military actions” and claimed that the US is “intentionally escalating political and military tensions in the region.” He added,
“We will not hesitate to take more offensive measures against the threats posed by our enemies,” according to the state-run KCNA news agency.
US and South Korea Respond
Earlier this week, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), reaffirming strong joint defense cooperation.
Additionally, the USS George Washington, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, docked in Busan, South Korea for logistical support—a move Pyongyang described as “further escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”
The US Indo-Pacific Command stated that North Korea’s missile launch “highlights the destabilizing impact” of Pyongyang’s actions and emphasized ongoing consultations with allies and partners.
South Korea’s military strongly condemned the launch, urging Pyongyang to “immediately halt all actions that increase tensions between the two Koreas.”
Regional Security Developments
Last week, Trump also approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine, which analysts say would significantly enhance the country’s naval and defense capabilities, positioning Seoul among a select group of nations with such vessels. Experts also caution that North Korea may respond aggressively to South Korea’s advancement in nuclear-powered naval capabilities.
