On Tuesday, South Korea’s Presidential Office responded to North Korea’s accusation that the joint fact sheet on tariffs and security between the United States and South Korea was a declaration of confrontation. The office clarified that it has no hostile or confrontational intentions toward North Korea.
Presidential Office spokesperson Kang Yu Jeong stated in a press notice that, contrary to the commentary from the Korean Central News Agency, the administration harbors no hostility or desire for confrontation and remains committed to reducing tensions and rebuilding inter-Korean trust.
Kang emphasized that security cooperation between South Korea and the United States is aimed at strengthening defense and safeguarding national interests. She added that the government would continue efforts to ensure the alliance contributes to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the broader region.
Earlier, the Korean Central News Agency released a critical commentary on the joint statement and the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting communiqué, labeling them as declarations of confrontation by what it called the consistently hostile U.S.-ROK alliance and warning of realistic countermeasures.
The commentary argued that the joint agreements, released after recent leadership changes in both the U.S. and South Korea, reveal the alliance’s hostile intentions and could signal an increasingly volatile regional security environment.
North Korea claimed that U.S. approval of South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program, along with the acceptance of uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, effectively lays the groundwork for South Korea to become a de facto nuclear state, describing this as evidence of America’s dangerous confrontational posture.
The statement emphasized that South Korea’s acquisition of nuclear submarines is a stepping stone towards independent atomic armament. It warned that this development could trigger a nuclear domino effect and intensify the arms race in the region.
This commentary represents North Korea’s official response, coming four days after the joint fact sheet and SCM communiqué were released on Friday. Notably, North Korea appears to have moderated its tone by issuing a commentary through the Korean Central News Agency rather than a direct statement from a government official. It’s worth noting that this commentary was not published in the ruling party’s newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, suggesting a deliberate attempt to control the domestic narrative.
