South Korea strengthening alliance with US against Pyongyang, says North Korea

ISLAMABAD

North Korea on Friday accused South Korea’s acting leadership of strengthening its alliance with the US against Pyongyang.

In a commentary published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang claimed that hostility toward North Korea is becoming more pronounced in Seoul despite its ongoing political crisis.

"The puppet ROK (Republic of Korea) is planning to purchase helicopters for naval operations from the US in a bid to enhance the attack capability against submarines of the DPRK, while accelerating the introduction of attack and reconnaissance drones for special operations," KCNA reported.

It also warned Washington to halt its support for Seoul against Pyongyang.

"It is the demand of the master US that the puppet ROK should continue to 'faithfully play the role' of a shock brigade in carrying out the former's strategy for hegemony, whether the latter falls into chaos or not," it added.

On Tuesday, North Korea also condemned the arrival of a US Navy nuclear submarine in South Korea, warning that it would use “any defense means” to protect itself.

The statement came a day after the USS Alexandria, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, docked in the South Korean port city of Busan for resupply and crew rest. It was the first visit by a US nuclear submarine to the peninsula this year.