Copyright newsweek
North Korea has issued a warning to the U.S. a day after the secretive Asian nation test-fired a ballistic missile and condemned American sanctions on Pyongyang. North Korea’s defense minister No Kwang Chol said his country would take “more aggressive actions against the threat of our adversaries” as he condemned security talks between the U.S. and Seoul, and the arrival of the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington in South Korea. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Stare Department for comment. North Korean soldiers in a commemorative march in the plaza of the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang on April 25, 2025, to mark the 93rd anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army. (Photo by KIM Won Jin / AFP) Why It Matters The warning comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula and concerns that Pyongyang may be preparing for more missile tests or cyber operations. What To Know No Kwang Chol criticized a recent visit by U.S. and South Korean defense chiefs to the border between North and South Korea, saying they were conspiring against the North and integrating their nuclear and conventional forces. No called this “a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK to the end,” referring to the country’s formal name. No said the visit of the carrier George Washington to the port city of Busan after U.S.-South Korean joint air drills was provocative. As a result, he said Pyongyang would “show more aggressive actions against the threat of our adversaries in the principle of ensuring security by strong force and protecting peace,” according to North Korean state media KCNA. Last week, North Korea test-fired cruise missiles as Trump and world leaders gathered in South Korea for regional meetings. On Friday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, sparking condemnation from Seoul. It followed more U.S. sanctions being imposed against North Korean individuals and entities Washington said were involved in cyber-related money-laundering schemes. What People Are Saying North Korea’s defense minister No Kwang Chol, according to KCNA: “We have accurately understood the hostility of the United States to confront the DPRK to the end, and we will never avoid responding to it.” He added: “All threats that approach our right to security will be placed in our right of sight and will be managed in the manner necessary.” What Happens Next As tensions on the peninsula increase, there will be anticipation over what might come of President Donald Trump’s interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which he expressed at last month’s APEC summit. Kim is also reportedly interested in such a meeting. A survey by the Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs released after the summit found that three-quarters of Americans support Trump meeting with Kim.
