N. Korea warns of action against U.S.-led naval buildup

On Thursday, North Korea denounced what it referred to as a U.S.-led naval expansion and nuclear submarine initiatives, warning it would respond to the escalating naval threat with unspecified actions. Kim Jong-sik, the first vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, made these remarks in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim highlighted that the U.S. and its allied forces are engaging in an arms build-up aimed at gaining naval dominance in the Asia-Pacific region, which he deemed a new dangerous factor that is seriously threatening regional peace and security. He further stated that nuclear submarine programs in South Korea, Japan, and Australia are the detailed realization of a new U.S. security strategy designed to secure maritime hegemony.

Kim asserted that this development has become the root cause of disrupting the strategic balance in the region and triggering a new arms race. He emphasized that the enemy's naval build-up and the associated threat to its security represent a grave challenge, and North Korea's response will not be limited to mere condemnation. He added, "We will deter all threats."