North Korea warns US 'Golden Dome' risks nuclear war in space
But Pyongyang's foreign ministry said Trump's plan risks turning 'outer space into a potential nuclear war field' and called it 'the height of self-righteousness [and] arrogance.' It accused the US of being 'hell-bent... to militarize outer space' and starkly warned that the program could spark a 'a global nuclear and space arms race.'
Earlier today, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Trump's project undermines the foundations of strategic stability as it involves the creation of a global missile defense system.
And last week, Beijing said it was 'seriously concerned' about the Golden Dome, which it said has 'strong offensive implications'. China's foreign ministry said: 'The United States, in pursuing a "US-first" policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself.
'This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability.' Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP that Kim Jong Un likely sees Trump's Golden Dome as a threat that can "significantly weaken" its nuclear arsenal.
'If the US completes its new missile defense program, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it,' he said. In April, Kim Jong Un unveiled a nuclear-capable naval destroyer that he says will bolster North Korea's ability to defend itself in the face of perceived aggression from the US and its regional allies.
The North Korean leader attended the warship's launch ceremony at the western port of Nampo with his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae, according to state-run media. Ju Ae has been widely regarded by analysts as the likely successor to Kim since she was referred to as a 'great person of guidance' in an official report last year.
Kim said the 5,000-ton vessel would bolster efforts to expand the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. The 'multi-purpose' destroyer, designed to handle a variety of arms including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, was touted as the first in a new class of heavily armed warships.
Kim, who has framed the arms buildup as a response to the supposed danger posed by the US and its allies in Asia , said the destroyer would be handed over to the navy early next year before beginning active duty. Jo Chun Ryong, a secretary in the ruling Workers' party, claimed the ship was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons' and was built 'within 400-odd days'.
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