The Korean peninsula is once again experiencing an escalation of tension between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (RoK) following the latter’s recent nuclear agreement with the US. The US-RoK nuclear agreement is seen as an American provocation in the region by the DPRK and its ally Russia.
US President Joe Biden and RoK President Yoon Suk-yeol held a joint press conference in Washington DC this week, where Biden verbally intimidated DPRK. Biden said that any attempt by DPRK to launch a nuclear attack on the US and its allies and partners would result in the end of the government in Pyongyang.
Kim Yo-jong, the vice department director of the Central Committee of the DPRK’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), condemned the threat issued by Biden. Criticising the US-RoK nuclear agreement, Kim said, “The ‘Washington Declaration’ fabricated by the US and south Korean authorities is a typical product of their extreme anti-DPRK hostile policy reflecting the most hostile and aggressive will of action. As such, it will only result in making peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger, and it is an act that can thus never be welcomed.”
She added, “The formation of ‘Nuclear Consultative Group’, the regular and continuous deployment of US nuclear strategic assets, and the frequent military exercises made the regional politico-military situation unable to extricate itself from the currents of instability. This provides us with an environment in which we are compelled to take more decisive action in order to deal with the new security environment.”
Kim told DPRK’s news agency KCNA that Pyongyang won’t simply sit quietly if the head of the ‘enemy state’ continues to threaten it. “Another thing that we cannot let pass nor overlook is the fact that the chief executive of the enemy state officially and personally used the word ‘the end of regime’ under the eyes of the world”, the KCNA quoted her.
“Would we simply regard it as the man’s senility?”, Kim asked. Calling Biden an “old man with no future”, she added, “It may be taken as a nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage who is not at all capable of taking the responsibility for security and the future of the US, an old man with no future, as it is too much for him to serve out two-year remainder of his office term.”
She however warned, “But when we consider that this expression was personally used by the president of the US, our most hostile adversary, it is threatening rhetoric for which he should be prepared for far too great an after-storm that will not be easy for us to deliver.”
Kim claimed that Biden has been obsessed with overconfidence, which is letting him miscalculate his steps. “Obsessed with overconfidence in strength, he was too miscalculating and irresponsibly brave”, she added. Blaming the US and RoK for instigating tension, Kim said, “We are convinced once again of the fact that the enhancement of the nuclear war deterrent, especially the second mission of the nuclear war deterrent, should be brought to further perfection.”
The WPK leader also said that DPRK will now exercise its right to self-defence as its enemies are deploying nuclear weapons in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula. Kim said, “The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the more nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, the stronger the exercise of our right to self-defence will become in direct proportion to them.”
Russia criticised US-RoK nuclear agreement
Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova the US-RoK nuclear agreement in a statement. She condemned Biden’s administration for pursuing a Cold War mentality and fuelling tension in the Korean peninsula.
“We took note of reports on an agreement that was reached between the United States and the ROK on joint planning with regard to the use of nuclear weapons”, Zakharova was quoted by Chinese news agency Xinhua. “This development is clearly destabilising… and will have serious negative consequences for regional security and will impact global stability”, Zakharova added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement asked the US to refrain from fuelling tensions in the region under the guise of the US-RoK nuclear agreement. “We call on the US and its allies…to refrain from steps that lead to the weakening of the overall level of security for all states”, the Russian statement said.
East Post is an independent geopolitical analysis portal covering South Asia and global power dynamics for international audiences. Views expressed are analytical and do not constitute endorsement of any state or non-state actor.
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