The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has warned the United States and South Korea against what it described as preparations for a military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.
A spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of National Defence issued the warning through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday, following a meeting between US and South Korean defence officials on responses to weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The US and South Korean officials met in Seoul on 10 September to discuss ways to strengthen their joint response to potential WMD threats from North Korea.
According to South Korea’s Defence Ministry, the officials discussed measures to improve their practical capabilities to respond to the potential use of WMD by North Korea and agreed to strengthen cooperation, including information sharing.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in responding to biological threats and ways to strengthen their combined operational capabilities.
In its response, the DPRK described the meeting as an escalation of military tensions and alleged that the US and South Korea were preparing for the possible use of nuclear and chemical weapons on the Korean Peninsula.
The North Korean spokesman also criticised the allies’ joint military exercises, alleging that WMD-response procedures had been incorporated into their training.
The US and South Korea have described their joint exercises as measures to strengthen combined defence readiness and their ability to respond to security threats. The 2026 Freedom Shield exercise was held from 9 to 19 March.
The DPRK spokesman further alleged that the United States was pursuing biological and chemical weapons-related activities in different parts of the world.
Those allegations were not independently substantiated in the statement and are not presented as established facts in this report.
The spokesman warned that what North Korea regards as a potential WMD threat could constitute a serious security challenge and require Pyongyang to invoke provisions of its law on state nuclear forces.
“I recommend that the U.S. correctly interpret the meaning of the invoking of the relevant provision and accept it as a grave warning,” he said.
North Korea’s nuclear forces law, adopted in 2022, sets out circumstances in which the country says it could use nuclear weapons, including situations involving an imminent nuclear or WMD attack, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The DPRK spokesman said the country’s armed forces would continue to monitor military activities by the United States and its allies and assess their implications for national security.
