DPRK Warns UK–South Korea Submarine Pact Will Trigger ‘Nuclear Domino’

By Staff, Agencies

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [DPRK] warned Tuesday that South Korea’s plan—approved by the United States—to construct nuclear-powered submarines would ignite a “nuclear domino” effect across the region.

The warning came after Seoul and Washington unveiled details of a summit agreement between President Lee Jae Myung and President Donald Trump, which included a pledge to dismantle the DPRK’s nuclear arsenal and jointly develop nuclear-powered submarines.

KCNA said the deal exposes the “true confrontational posture” of the US and the Republic of Korea [ROK], arguing that the submarine project and recent large-scale joint military drills sharply escalate threats to the DPRK’s security.

Pyongyang accused Seoul of pursuing a covert, longstanding ambition to obtain nuclear weapons and said such a move would inevitably fuel an arms race in Northeast Asia. South Korean officials rejected the charge, insisting the submarine program is aimed at defending national security—particularly amid China’s expanding naval power and the DPRK’s own pursuit of nuclear-powered subs.

Seoul also announced a proposal for inter-Korean military talks, seeking to address rising tensions following alleged DPRK incursions into the demilitarized zone.

The Defense Ministry said it hopes to convene a meeting at Panmunjom to prevent accidental clashes, re-establish a reference line for the military demarcation boundary, and rebuild communication channels weakened after the partial suspension of a key military agreement.

The diplomatic friction unfolds as the DPRK accelerates weapons testing. In 2024, Pyongyang launched the Hwasong-19 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, which flew over 80 minutes and reached record altitudes, marking a major advance in long-range strike capability.

Earlier, the DPRK tested the Hwasong-16B hypersonic intermediate-range missile—both launches coinciding with US–ROK military exercises that Pyongyang denounced as invasion rehearsals.

Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the DPRK State Affairs Commission, warned that continued US–ROK–Japan military coordination would bring “unfavorable consequences” and directly threaten the country’s sovereignty.