North Korea has issued a strong condemnation of the “Golden Dome” missile shield initiative proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, characterizing it as a “very dangerous” threat that could potentially ignite nuclear conflicts in space, according to reports from state media.
Recently, Trump provided additional details and preliminary funding for this missile shield system, asserting its critical role in ensuring the success and survival of the United States. Analysts, however, have suggested that the initiative is fraught with both technical and political hurdles and carries a substantial financial burden.
In a statement disseminated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North Korean foreign ministry criticized the missile defense project as a “threatening initiative” directed at undermining the strategic security of nuclear-armed nations. The U.S. government was accused of aggressively pursuing a militarization of outer space, which posed risks of escalating global nuclear tensions.
“The U.S. plan for a new missile defense system is a fundamental cause that could provoke a worldwide arms race in both nuclear and spatial domains,” the foreign ministry warned, claiming that such developments would effectively turn outer space into a potential battlefield for nuclear warfare.
Amid rising tensions, South Korea—America’s key security ally—has intensified joint military exercises and enhanced the deployment of strategic U.S. assets, including an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, to bolster defenses against North Korean threats. Pyongyang has consistently affirmed its status as an “irreversible” nuclear weapons state while condemning joint U.S.-South Korea military drills as rehearsals for invasion.
Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, remarked that the North perceives Trump’s “Golden Dome” initiative as a direct threat to its nuclear capabilities. He explained that North Korea’s vigorous response indicates a belief that the new missile defense system could significantly undermine the effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal, particularly its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Should the U.S. successfully implement this missile defense program, North Korea may feel compelled to develop alternative strategies or technologies to either counter or evade it, Hong noted.
The initiative has also raised alarm in Beijing, with Chinese officials expressing concerns over its implications for global stability. China’s advancements in ballistic and hypersonic missile technology are narrowing the capabilities gap with the U.S., while Russia is simultaneously modernizing its intercontinental missile systems and developing precision strike capabilities, as outlined in a 2022 Pentagon review.
Although initially critical of the Golden Dome proposal, the Kremlin has softened its stance, stating that consultations with Russia might be necessary while also framing the initiative as a “sovereign matter” for the U.S.
The name “Golden Dome” draws inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, which has successfully intercepted numerous short-range rockets since its inception in 2011. However, U.S. missile threats originate from far more diverse and complex adversaries, in stark contrast to the short-range threats the Iron Dome was designed to mitigate.
