North Korea Warns Us

North Korea Threatens Countermeasures Over US Nuclear Assets

North Korea Warns of Military Response to US Nuclear Deployment in South Korea

Pyongyang Says Ready to Repel Increasing US and South Korean Provocations

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea's defense minister has issued a stern warning to the United States, stating that the deployment of nuclear assets in South Korea could trigger a harsh response from Pyongyang.

According to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Defense Minister Ri Yong Gil declared that the country is "fully prepared to counter any military provocations." He warned that if the US deploys nuclear weapons in South Korea, it would meet the "conditions for us to launch a preemptive strike with nuclear weapons."

The announcement comes amidst heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has recently conducted a series of missile launches, including a ballistic missile test on Thursday and the firing of two short-range ballistic missiles on Friday.

Meanwhile, the US and South Korea have been conducting joint military exercises and discussing the possibility of deploying additional nuclear assets to the region to deter North Korean aggression. These actions have drawn sharp criticism from North Korea, which views them as a hostile act.

In a separate statement, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened more "offensive actions" to repel what he called increasing United States and South Korean provocations. He urged the international community to "withdraw the US nuclear threat" and refrain from interfering in North Korea's internal affairs.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula remains volatile, with both North Korea and the US showing no signs of backing down from their positions. Observers are closely monitoring the situation, fearing that any further escalation could lead to a wider conflict.