North Korea Slams U.S. Missile Sale to South Korea, Citing Escalating Tensions

North Korea has strongly condemned the United States' approval of advanced air-to-air missile sales to South Korea, warning that the move will further inflame tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean Foreign Ministry issued a statement through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), criticizing the ongoing military cooperation between Washington and Seoul despite international concerns over rising regional tensions.

A foreign ministry official stated that the U.S. State Department's approval of the nearly $300 million sale of missiles and related equipment exemplifies how "U.S. arms exports are exports of war." The official asserted that Pyongyang will continue to bolster its self-defense deterrence capabilities to maintain regional power balance.

North Korea frequently criticizes U.S.-South Korea military exercises, viewing them as preparations for war. The KCNA statement also attacked a recent joint declaration by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and European Union leaders, which described North Korea's nuclear status and its military cooperation with Russia as "illegal." Pyongyang views such actions as an infringement on its sovereignty and reiterated its stance that peaceful coexistence with South Korea is impossible, continuing to regard Seoul as an enemy state.

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U.S. arms exports are exports of war