North Korea on Saturday warned that it would take “more offensive action” following its latest ballistic missile launch, as the move drew swift condemnation from the United States and South Korea.
The launch, conducted on Friday, marked Pyongyang’s latest show of force amid heightened tensions in the region. It came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump, while on a regional tour, expressed willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — an overture that Pyongyang has yet to respond to.
In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol accused Washington of escalating tensions through military activities near the peninsula.
“The United States has become brazen in its military moves to threaten our security,” No said, claiming the U.S. was intentionally aggravating political and military tension in the region.”
“We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat,” he warned.
The warning followed a series of joint military demonstrations between Washington and Seoul. Earlier this week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), reaffirming their nations’ “strong combined defense posture” and security alliance.
The arrival of the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the South Korean port of Busan on Wednesday further angered Pyongyang. North Korea described the deployment as “an act of provocation” and accused Hegseth of attempting to “stoke war hysteria” with his DMZ visit.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the latest test “highlights the destabilizing impact” of North Korea’s continued missile launches. The command added that Washington is “consulting closely with our allies and partners to ensure regional stability.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also condemned the launch, calling on Pyongyang to “immediately cease actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”
The test came amid growing military developments in the South. President Trump recently approved South Korea’s plan to develop a nuclear-powered submarine — a major step in Seoul’s defense modernization that analysts say could provoke a stronger response from Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, South Korean lawmakers briefed by the country’s defense intelligence agency said North Korea appears technically ready to carry out its seventh nuclear test “at any time,” pending a decision from leader Kim Jong Un.
