North Korea slams ‘hostile military act’ after US sub visits South

SEOUL – North Korea on Feb 11 accused the United States of a “hostile military act” after a US Navy submarine docked in arch-rival South Korea to replenish supplies.

“We express grave concern over the US dangerous hostile military act that can lead the acute military confrontation in the region around the Korean peninsula to an actual armed force conflict,” a Defence Ministry spokesperson said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.

They warned the US to “stop provocations stirring up the instability any longer”, accusing it of ignoring North Korea’s security concerns.

Yonhap news agency reported that the USS Alexandria, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at Busan Naval Base in South Korea on Feb 10. A similar visit was made in November 2024.

“Our armed forces are strictly watching the frequent appearance of the US strategic means on the Korean peninsula and are ready for using any means to defend the security and interests of the state and the regional peace,” the Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

The statement noted the importance of developing the North’s self-defence capabilities and referenced leader Kim Jong Un’s vow in January that his country’s nuclear programme would continue “indefinitely”.

Largely cut off from the world diplomatically and economically, and under a bevy of sanctions, North Korea has been a major thorn in the side of the US for years.

President Donald Trump, who had a rare series of meetings with Mr Kim during his first term, has said he will reach out to the North Korean leader again, calling Mr Kim a “smart guy”.

A summit between the two in Hanoi collapsed in 2019 over talks on sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return.

North Korea said earlier in February that it would not tolerate any “provocation” by the US after top US diplomat Marco Rubio called it a “rogue state” in a radio interview. AFP