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North Korea urges United States to stop military threats

Published: 25 May. 2025, 13:09

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, oversees a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8. [RODONG SINMUN/YONHAP]

North Korea on Sunday warned the United States to abandon its military threats against others if it has concerns about its mainland safety.

The head of the policy office at the North's defense ministry released a statement, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), claiming that “the security guarantee of the U.S. mainland” depends on giving up “military threats and aggressive attempts” against other nations.

“Recently, the U.S. military is hell-bent on inciting the 'threat' from the DPRK to its mainland while attempting to increase the arms buildup on the largest scale,” read the statement read. The DPRK is an abbreviation of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The statement added that U.S. military officials are “picking a quarrel with the DPRK's self-defensive measures for bolstering up its nuclear force on several occasions, unhesitatingly making provocative remarks hinting at the possibility of outbreak of a war with the DPRK.”

Citing a recent U.S. test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the statement said it was an “illogical way of thinking” that the U.S. military actions are considered defensive while the North's actions are seen as a threat.

“It is none other than the U.S. unreasonable military threat, blackmail and military muscle strengthening that caused and have steadily escalated the 'external threat' to the U.S. mainland,” the statement added.

It also said North Korea is making “sustained and practical efforts” to develop a war deterrent against security instability resulting from the U.S. nuclear arms buildup.

Sunday's message followed a report by the Wall Street Journal earlier this week claiming that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reviewing a plan to withdraw thousands of U.S. troops from South Korea and reposition them within the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. Department of Defense and United States Forces Korea (USFK) on Friday both denied the report. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson and senior adviser, told Yonhap News Agency in a statement that the report of a possible drawdown was “not true.”

“The U.S. remains firmly committed to the defense of the ROK, and we look forward to working with the incoming government officials to maintain and strengthen our ironclad alliance,” Parnell said.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]