North Korea on Saturday condemned the United States and its allies following this week’s NATO summit, accusing the alliance of expanding military blocs and increasing arms spending. Pyongyang also argued that denuclearisation efforts should first focus on US allies rather than North Korea. The remarks underscore growing security tensions in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
In a statement carried by state media KCNA, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused NATO of portraying the country’s sovereign actions as a threat while strengthening military cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific. The ministry claimed the alliance had reinforced bloc-to-bloc confrontation through increased defence spending and expanded strategic partnerships.
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The statement came after NATO leaders announced more than $50 billion in military procurement and industrial agreements during the alliance’s summit in Türkiye. The commitments follow continued calls by US President Donald Trump for European allies to increase their defence contributions. Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul hopes to deepen cooperation with NATO in defence research, advanced technologies, and weapons production.
Pyongyang described NATO as an alliance pursuing geopolitical interests at the expense of regional and global peace. It also reiterated that international calls for North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme were no longer acceptable. Instead, the ministry argued that denuclearisation efforts should begin with South Korea, Japan, and NATO members participating in US-led nuclear-sharing arrangements.
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North Korea said it would continue safeguarding its sovereignty through what it described as the responsible exercise of its sovereign rights. KCNA reported on Friday that the country had approved measures to strengthen its nuclear capabilities both quantitatively and qualitatively, in line with leader Kim Jong Un’s call to modernise the military.