North Korea has sharply criticized the United States in response to the arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier at the South Korean port of Busan, citing what it calls “political and military provocations.” The remarks came from Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and were published on Tuesday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
In her statement, Kim Yo Jong accused the US of escalating tensions since the beginning of the year, claiming that the Biden administration has intensified military provocations against North Korea while continuing the hostile policies of its predecessor. She referred to the US as the “root cause of escalating tension” in the region and condemned its “reckless visible actions and muscle-flexing.”
The USS Carl Vinson, a key asset of the US Navy’s carrier strike group, docked in Busan on Sunday for what the US Navy characterized as a scheduled visit. This high-profile arrival was intended to underscore America’s commitment to regional security and strengthen ties with South Korea, formally known as the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Military collaboration between South Korea and the US has long been a source of tension for Pyongyang, which perceives these actions as preparations for a potential invasion. In retaliation, North Korea has frequently conducted missile tests. Notably, Kim Yo Jong’s statement specifically claimed that the recent deployment of the USS Carl Vinson has intensified confrontational behavior from the US.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense reacted to Kim’s remarks by dismissing them as mere justifications for North Korea’s ongoing development of nuclear weapons. The ministry reiterated that North Korea’s nuclear ambitions cannot be tolerated, emphasizing that relinquishing its pursuits regarding nuclear capabilities is the only viable path for the North’s survival.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached significant levels, further exacerbated by North Korea’s series of ballistic missile launches last year, which were in defiance of UN sanctions. Recently, North Korea conducted a test-launch of strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, which it claimed was aimed at demonstrating its “counterattack” capabilities. This test and the forthcoming joint US-South Korea “Freedom Shield” military exercises are expected to heighten military activities in the region.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a state of unresolved conflict, as the 1950-1953 Korean War concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically at war. In her closing remarks, Kim Yo Jong implied a potential for testing nuclear-capable missiles anew, stating, “If the US continues to renew its records in the anti-DPRK military demonstration, the DPRK will be naturally compelled to renew its records in the exercise of strategic deterrence.”
