North Korea threatens nuclear retaliation. "The US and South Korea have crossed a red line"

The statement of the North Korean authorities recalls Reuters. According to the country's defense minister, “the deployment of American aircraft carriers, bombers or missile submarines in South Korea may meet the criteria for the use of nuclear weapons.” Kang Sun Nama relayed this position to the North Korean media and accused the United States and South Korea of ​​escalating tensions in the region while criticizing the first meeting of their Nuclear Consultative Group [NCG], Reuters points out.

North Korea threatens nuclear retaliation. They talk about the “red line”

Pyongyang added that “the US should realize that its nuclear assets have entered extremely dangerous waters”. The agency points out that this is a reference to the USS Kentucky submarine, which carries ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. The unit entered the port of Busan in South Korea at the beginning of the week. This, according to the North Korean authorities, is “crossing a red line”. “The ever-increasing visibility of the deployment of strategic nuclear submarines and other strategic assets may be subject to the conditions of use of nuclear weapons laid down in DPRK law”, Reuters reported.

On Friday, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense responded to the allegations and said the NCG meeting and the deployment of the USS Kentucky were “only defensive countermeasures” against nuclear and missile threats from its neighbors. “North Korea will not obtain any concessions from the South Korean-United States alliance regarding its nuclear development and threats, which will only lead to further isolation and difficulties,” the South Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement.

North Korea: US soldier illegally crossed the border

Pyongyang has yet to comment on another case earlier this week.

On Tuesday, a US citizen crossed the border between South and North Korea without permission. He is believed to be in North Korean detention. According to information from the South Korean daily Dong-a Ilbo, which cites sources in the South Korean army, the detainee is a soldier of the US army. The Arrested US citizen was taking a trip to a border village in the demilitarized zone separating South and North Korea. There he allegedly crossed the demarcation line and illegally entered the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The United Nations South Korea Mission Command said it was working continuously with the South Korean military to resolve the incident.