North Korea warns US actions could trigger "real war" on Korean Peninsula

The aggressive actions of the United States on the Korean Peninsula could lead to a “real war” with North Korea, according to the head of the press service of the North Korean Defence Ministry.

“Today, when US military adventurism crosses a dangerous line on a global scale, the severe military and political situation foreshadows that US military actions against our state at any time may turn into a real war,” the official stated, Caliber.Az reports citing DPRK media.

They referenced recent military exercises involving South Korea and Japan, the arrival of the Columbia submarine in Busan, and the flight of the RC-135S reconnaissance aircraft.

The DPRK issued a strong warning, demanding that “the US and its satellites hostile to the DPRK immediately stop further provocative and destabilizing hostile actions that could lead the military confrontation in and around the Korean Peninsula to a real armed clash.”

The defence ministry also asserted that ensuring self-defence and maintaining a balance of power is “the constitutional duty of the DPRK armed forces.” “The Korean People's Army is closely monitoring the military actions of the US and its allies and, while maintaining full combat readiness, does not rule out any possibilities. If necessary, it will immediately take measures to preventively deter the threat and achieve the military and strategic goals of the state,” they warned.

Earlier, US officials expressed concerns about the rapid development of relations between Russia and the DPRK, which they believe will present significant challenges in the future. Mira Rapp-Hooper, special assistant to the US president and senior director for East Asia and Oceania, noted, “I anticipate that this will pose a serious challenge to the administration in the coming years,” adding that the scope of cooperation between Russia and the DPRK has reached a previously unimaginable level.

Kurt Campbell, the US first deputy secretary of state, echoed this sentiment, stating that the partnership between Russia and the DPRK will be “a growing problem that cannot be ignored.”

DPRK leader Kim Jong-un emphasized, “A country without self-defence cannot be considered sovereign,” highlighting the importance of military might for stability and defence against aggression.

In response, South Korea expressed strong resentment over the rapprochement between Russia and the DPRK, imposing 250 new sanctions and pondering supplying arms to Ukraine.

By Tamilla Hasanova