PYONGYANG: The state media has reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister has warned that a recent US-South Korean deal will lead to “more danger”.
Kim Yo-jong said that North Korea’s nuclear deterrent “should be brought to further perfection”.
The United States agreed to deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea and involve Seoul in its nuclear planning to counter nuclear threats from the North. In return, South Korea agreed not to develop its nuclear weapons.
The deal – the Washington Declaration – was announced this week during President Joe Biden’s talks with his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeols in the American capital.
Referring to the agreement, Kim said: “The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, the stronger the military exercise of our right to self-defence would become in direct proportion to them.”
She warned the move would “only result in peace and security of North-East Asia and the world being exposed to more danger”.
Kim holds a senior position in the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and is reported to have an influence on her brother. President Biden hailed the deal and said it would strengthen the allies’ cooperation in deterring a North Korean attack.
President Yoon said the agreement marked an “unprecedented” commitment by the United States to deter attacks and protect allies by using nuclear weapons. China warned against “deliberately stirring up tussle, provoking confrontation and playing up threats”.
US defence commitments
Under the deal, the United States will make its defence commitments more visible by sending a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea for the first time in 40 years, along with other assets, including nuclear-capable bombers. The two sides will develop a Nuclear Consultative Group to discuss planning issues.
Politicians in Seoul have long been pushing the United States to involve them more in planning how and when to use nuclear arms against North Korea.
Concern has been increasing on both sides about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. Pyongyang is developing tactical nuclear weapons to target South Korea and refining its long-range weapons to reach the United States mainland.
The United States already has the treaty obligation to defend South Korea and has previously pledged to use nuclear arms if necessary. But some in South Korea started to doubt that commitment and called for the country to pursue its nuclear programme.
