North Korea calls itself a 'responsible nuclear power'

North Korea calls itself a 'responsible nuclear power'
by Adam Schrader
Washington DC (UPI) Aug 6, 2023

North Korea's permanent mission to the United Nations on Saturday called the isolated country a "responsible nuclear power."

"Today's sobering reality is that the threat to international peace and security and the nuclear non-proliferation regime is being generated by the United States," the mission said in a statement published by North Korea's Foreign Ministry.

North Korea said that the United States "unilaterally" prioritizes the "narrow interests of itself and its allies" on the U.N. Security Council and blasted the AUKUS alliance between the U.S., Britain and Australia announced in 2021.

One of the main provisions of the AUKUS alliance regards assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. The deal has been criticized by scholars and politicians and described as an act of nuclear proliferation.

North Korea accused the U.S. of raising the level of military tension between the two countries to the highest level in 42 years and "to the point of nuclear war" by establishing the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group with South Korea.

The White House said in a statement in July that the U.S. and South Korea held what it described as an "inaugural meeting" of the Nuclear Consultative Group.

"Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime, and the U.S. and [South Korea] sides highlighted that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against [South Korea] will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response," the White House said.

"Both sides affirmed that the NCG will play an integral role in discussing and advancing bilateral approaches, including guidelines, to nuclear and strategic planning and responses to DPRK aggression."

The White House said the U.S. and South Korea will plan "operations, exercises, simulations, trainings, and investment activities" to act as a deterrent against a nuclear North Korea.

North Korea accused the U.S. and South Korea of simulating of nuclear weapons against North Korea and added that the country is seeking to strengthen its self-defense nuclear deterrent in what it called "a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty to prevent the outbreak of a nuclear war."

"In spite of this, the U.S., along with its followers, has made a series of statements that grossly misrepresent the reality of our self-defense measures and are a political provocation to mask the identity of the DPRK as a criminal nuclear power and to deflect the international condemnation that will result from its failure to implement nuclear disarmament and nuclear nonproliferation," North Korea said.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a responsible nuclear power committed to the prohibition of nuclear use and threats against non-nuclear states and the obligation to prevent nuclear non-proliferation, and its nuclear arsenal poses no threat to countries that respect our sovereignty and security interests."