Pyongyang, August 12 (QNA) - North Korea on Wednesday criticized South Korea's plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines, saying the program would increase instability on the Korean Peninsula and in the wider region.
In his remarks, first vice minister of North Korea's foreign ministry Jang Kum-chol said that South Korea's objective is to free itself from restrictions on the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and uranium enrichment, and to secure the right to produce nuclear materials, ultimately paving the way for nuclear armament.
Kum-chol warned that South Korea's cooperation with the United States on developing nuclear submarines could further destabilize the Korean Peninsula and create a serious challenge to North Korea's security and maritime sovereignty.
He added that the most responsible option for deterring war is to possess an unparalleled force capable of neutralizing all types of potential threats, whether existing or newly emerging, and to respond to any military attempt by hostile states to provoke North Korea's strategic sovereign security with a retaliatory attack that makes it impossible for them to survive or rise again.
South Korea, meanwhile, did not respond to the reports issued by its northern neighbor or to the North Korean Foreign Ministry official's statement.
Back in May and following a green light from the US, Seoul had announced a program to build its first nuclear-powered submarine, as part of South Korea's efforts to strengthen its ability to deter regional threats, including those posed by its northern neighbor. (QNA)