Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has issued a scathing denouncement of the arrival of a US nuclear-powered submarine in South Korea, raising tensions on the Korean peninsula, NHK reports.
In a statement released through the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo Jong claimed that North Korea’s Aerospace Reconnaissance Agency detected the USS Vermont at a port in Busan, South Korea, on Monday.
“This reveals the frantic military and strategic attempt of the US hell-bent on intentionally demonstrating the ‘superiority of strength’ before the world,” she stated, accusing the US of escalating tensions in the region.
Kim further warned that North Korea will continue to “inform” the international community about the perceived insecurity of South Korean ports and military bases, suggesting increased surveillance activities.
The statement comes after South Korean media reported the USS Vermont’s port call on Monday. The latest escalation in rhetoric follows a period of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests in recent months, prompting condemnation from the international community.
The presence of a US nuclear-powered submarine in South Korean waters is seen as a deterrent to North Korea’s military activities and a signal of US commitment to defending its allies in the region.
