SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has hit back at U.S. criticism over its test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile this week, saying it was rightfully exercising its rights for self-defense and that the weapon doesn’t specifically target the United States.
The comments by an unidentified spokesperson of the North’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday came as the U.N. Security Council was set to hold an emergency closed-door meeting over the launch at the request of the United States and the United Kingdom.
On Tuesday, the North launched a new ballistic missile from a submarine in its first test of such weaponry in two years, marking the most significant demonstration of its military might since President Joe Biden took office.
Washington has condemned the launch, which underscored how the North continues to expand its military capabilities amid a freeze in nuclear diplomacy, and called for Pyongyang to “engage in sustained and substantive dialogue.”
In comments published by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency, the North Korean spokesperson said its recent test posed no immediate threat to neighboring countries and that there was no need for Washington to agonize over a weapon that doesn’t specifically target the United States. The spokesperson said Pyongyang expresses “serious concern” over what it sees as a “nonsensical” reaction by the United States over a rightful exercise of its rights to defense.
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled for more than two years over disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea and the North’s denuclearization steps.
Ending a months-long lull in September, North Korea has been ramping up its weapons tests while making conditional peace offers to Seoul, reviving a pattern of pressuring South Korea to try to get what it wants from the United States.
North Korea has been pushing hard for years to acquire the ability to fire nuclear-armed missiles from submarines. The submarine missiles are the next key piece in an arsenal that includes a variety of weapons, including ones with the potential range to reach American soil.
Still, experts say it would take years, large amounts of resources and major technological improvements for the heavily sanctioned nation to build at least several submarines that could travel quietly in seas and reliably execute strikes.
