North Korea Warns of ‘Offensive Action’ Following US-South Korea Military Displays
Seoul, South Korea – November 3, 2025 – North Korea’s defense minister has accused the United States and South Korea of plotting to integrate their nuclear and conventional weapons forces, threatening a response as US military assets arrive in the region and joint drills escalate. The statement comes after a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North Korean defense minister stated, “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,” using the initials for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The comments were made in response to the annual South Korea-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) and the arrival of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and the Fifth Carrier Strike Group at a port in Busan. These developments coincide with large-scale joint military exercises,known as Freedom Flag,between US and South Korean forces.
During the SCM talks this week, Hegseth shared photos on social media of his visit to the DMZ, stating that deterring North Korea woudl remain the core focus of the Washington-Seoul alliance. He also indicated a willingness to explore flexibility for US troops stationed in South Korea to address broader regional threats.
“I visited the DMZ with my ROK counterpart, Minister Ahn, to meet the brave troops of the U.S., ROK, and UN Command that maintain the military armistice on the Peninsula,” Hegseth tweeted. “Our forces remain ready to support President Trump’s efforts to bring lasting peace through strength.”
Pyongyang condemned the DMZ visit as “a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their opposed nature to stand against the DPRK.”
The escalating tensions follow a recent North Korean missile launch, which Japan reported landed outside its exclusive economic zone. The launch occurred just over a week after US President Donald Trump expressed interest in a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to the region.
The US Indo-Pacific Command released a statement Friday, saying it is “consulting closely” with allies and partners regarding the ballistic missile launch. While assessing it does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory, or allies, the command emphasized the launch’s “destabilising impact.”
