Pyongyang branded the US decision provocative and warned it would heighten tensions on the peninsula. Officials said they will boost defensive capabilities.
North Korea condemned the U.S. decision to approve the sale of advanced air-launched missiles and related equipment to South Korea, warning that such a move would heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, KCNA said on Saturday.
The Director-General of the Foreign Policy Department said in a statement released by KCNA that military cooperation between Washington and Seoul is “steadily intensifying” despite international concerns about rising tensions on and around the peninsula.
An official spokesperson noted that the U.S. approval of nearly $300 million under the Foreign Military Sales program for advanced air-launched missiles and related equipment for South Korea was the latest example of such cooperation.
“The export of U.S. weapons is military export.”
– official source
North Korea regularly criticizes military cooperation between the United States and South Korea as preparation for war.
KCNA also emphasizes that North Korea will continue to strengthen its defensive capabilities in order to maintain the balance of power in the region.
Such statements underscore the lack of consensus on deepening military cooperation between the United States and its ally and indicate the enduring tension around regional security.