N. Korea slams U.S. over S. Korea, Japan's nuclear submarine push

North Korea reacted harshly to the United States on Wednesday, accusing it of inciting South Korea and Japan to seek nuclear-powered submarines. This criticism served to bolster North Korea's own nuclear program. The North made this allegation following a U.S. Navy official's assessment of Seoul and Tokyo's quest for nuclear-powered submarines in a news conference in Hawaii on Thursday.

The official expressed that Seoul should have a clear operational reason for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, rather than viewing them as mere symbols of status. He also took a more favorable stance on Tokyo's efforts to acquire such submarines. In a commentary published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a North Korean analyst on international affairs argued that the discussions were aimed at prompting both countries to acquire nuclear submarines.

The analyst accused Washington of being the principal instigator of global nuclear proliferation. The analyst also claimed that Washington was using AUKUS, a defense alliance involving the U.S., Britain, and Australia, to disseminate nuclear submarine technology to its allies, including South Korea and Japan.