North Korea criticizes NATO, arguing that US allies should initiate denuclearization
North Korea asserts that denuclearization must commence with US allies, following its condemnation of NATO’s military expansion and increasing defense collaboration.
North Korea has criticized the United States and its allies in the aftermath of this week’s NATO summit, alleging that the alliance is reinforcing military blocs and hastening an arms build-up while asserting that denuclearization efforts should be initiated with US allies.
In a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday, North Korea’s foreign ministry accused NATO leaders of depicting Pyongyang’s exercise of what it referred to as its legitimate sovereign rights as a threat.
The ministry stated that the alliance has strengthened bloc-to-bloc confrontation by increasing defense spending and enhancing military cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific.
During the NATO summit in Turkey on Tuesday, officials revealed over $50 billion in military procurement and industrial agreements, as European allies faced ongoing pressure from US President Donald Trump to boost their defense spending.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated during the summit that Seoul aims to enhance collaboration with NATO members in areas such as research and development, particularly in advanced technologies and weapons production.
North Korea stated that the summit showcased NATO as an organization centered on war and confrontation, pursuing what it termed exclusive geopolitical interests to the detriment of peace and security in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Pyongyang asserts that the attempts by Western nations to convince it to relinquish its nuclear weapons program have ultimately failed. It contends that denuclearization should commence with what it characterizes as the efforts of South Korea and Japan to seek nuclear capabilities under the aegis of the United States, along with the nuclear aspirations of NATO members involved in the alliance’s nuclear-sharing agreements.
The foreign ministry stated that North Korea will persist in safeguarding its sovereignty, security interests, and regional peace through what it characterized as the responsible exercise of its sovereign rights.
On Friday, KCNA reported that North Korea has decided to enhance its nuclear capabilities both “quantitatively and qualitatively,” as leader Kim Jong Un advances efforts to modernize the nation’s military.
