North Korea threatens 'offensive action' as US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea
Iran Press TV
Saturday, 08 November 2025 8:13 AM
North Korea has threatened to take "offensive action" as the United States and South Korea hold talks on strengthening military ties.
North Korea's defense minister, No Kwang Chol, condemned the arrival of a United States aircraft carrier at a port in South Korea and warned that Pyongyang will take "more offensive action" against its enemies.
"We will show more offensive action against the enemies' threat on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace by dint of powerful strength," the Korean Central News Agency on Saturday quoted No as saying.
In a separate report, South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the North Korean Defense Minister as saying, "All threats encroaching upon the sphere of the North's security" will become "direct targets" and be "managed in a necessary way."
The North Korean defense minister cited a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) border area between North and South Korea and talks between the two countries' military leaders in Seoul as proof that Washington and Seoul were conspiring to integrate their nuclear and conventional weapons forces against Pyongyang.
"We have correctly understood the hostility of the US to stand in confrontation with the DPRK to the last, and will never avoid the response to it," No said, using the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Seoul, meanwhile, hosted the annual South Korea-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM).
Before the meeting, the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and the Fifth Carrier Strike Group arrived at a southern port in Busan.
The Strike Group's arrival took place as American and South Korean forces were engaged in large-scale joint military drills, known as Freedom Flag.
Simultaneously, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited South Korea to take part in the SCM talks.
From the meeting and during his visit to the DMZ, Hegseth posted several photo shots on social media.
Hegseth told reporters during his visit that Washington's military alliance with Seoul would remain focused on countering North Korea's influence in the region.
He said the Trump administration will be looking for ways to create flexibility for US troops stationed in South Korea to operate against regional threats.
North Korea denounced Hegseth's visit as "a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK."
On Friday, the US said it was "consulting closely" with allies and partners over a ballistic missile launch ordered by Pyongyang, which Japan said had landed outside its exclusive economic zone.
The US military downplayed the importance of the ballistic missile launch.
"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact" of North Korea's actions, the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
The launch came just over a week after US President Donald Trump visited the region.
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