South Korea's Defense Ministry on Tuesday urged North Korea to abandon its fixation on nuclear weapons development in response to Pyongyang’s criticism of the recent deployment of the USS Carl Vinson, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, to the Korean Peninsula.
“North Korea’s nuclear ambitions will never be tolerated. The only path to survival for the regime is to abandon its delusions and obsession with nuclear weapons,” the ministry said in a press statement.
Earlier in the day, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement through the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s most widely circulated newspaper, accusing the US of “routinely carrying out provocative actions that escalate tensions while ignoring security concerns.”
Her remarks were a reaction to the USS Carl Vinson, which arrived at a port in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sunday to participate in Freedom Shield, an annual joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States set to begin in mid-March.
Kim further condemned what she called the “reckless and demonstrative actions” of the US and its allies, warning that Pyongyang is “seriously considering options to enhance strategic-level deterrent actions against its adversaries.”
In response, the ministry stated that South Korea is fully prepared to counter any North Korean provocations, maintaining a firm combined defense posture with the US-South Korea alliance, saying, “If Pyongyang attempts to use South Korea-US defensive military activities as a pretext for aggression, it will face an overwhelming response.”
“The remarks by Kim Yo-jong, who condemned the deployment of US strategic assets and joint military drills ahead of the Freedom Shield exercise, are nothing more than sophistry aimed at justifying North Korea’s nuclear missile development and preparing grounds for future provocations," it added
Meanwhile, during the exercise, the USS Carl Vinson is expected to conduct a wide range of operations on the Korean Peninsula, from humanitarian assistance to full-scale combat missions in crisis scenarios, according to the US Navy.
The carrier also marks the second deployment of US strategic assets to Korea since US President Donald Trump returned to office, following the deployment of a US B-1B strategic bomber for a joint aerial exercise with the South Korean Air Force earlier in February.
flylikekite@heraldcorp.com
