Dr. Shariful Haque Priom

North Korea has sharply criticized the United States and its allies following this week’s NATO summit, accusing the alliance of expanding military blocs, accelerating arms buildups, and heightening geopolitical tensions in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

In a statement released on July 11 through the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s Foreign Ministry denounced NATO leaders for portraying Pyongyang’s military activities as a threat while, according to the ministry, ignoring what it described as the alliance’s own role in escalating global security risks.

The statement argued that the summit demonstrated NATO’s growing commitment to bloc-based confrontation through increased defense spending, expanded military cooperation, and closer partnerships with countries in the Asia-Pacific. North Korea claimed that these developments undermine regional stability and reinforce what it called an exclusive security framework driven by geopolitical interests.

The criticism followed the NATO summit held in Türkiye earlier this week, where alliance members announced more than $50 billion in military procurement and defense industrial agreements. The initiatives are intended to strengthen the alliance’s defense capabilities as European members continue to face pressure from US President Donald Trump to increase their contributions to collective security.

North Korea also took issue with remarks made by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the summit. Lee expressed hope that Seoul would deepen cooperation with NATO members in defense research and development, particularly in advanced technologies and the production of modern weapons systems.

Pyongyang portrayed such cooperation as further evidence of what it described as NATO’s expanding military influence beyond Europe. According to the Foreign Ministry, the alliance is evolving into an organization focused on confrontation rather than peace, extending its strategic reach into the Asia-Pacific under the banner of collective security.

The statement also reiterated North Korea’s longstanding position on nuclear weapons. Pyongyang insisted that international efforts aimed at persuading it to abandon its nuclear arsenal have effectively ended and argued that denuclearization discussions should instead address what it described as the nuclear ambitions of South Korea and Japan under the protection of the United States, as well as NATO members participating in the alliance’s nuclear-sharing arrangements.

North Korea maintained that its nuclear deterrent is essential to safeguarding national sovereignty and security. The ministry said the country would continue to exercise what it called its legitimate sovereign rights in a responsible manner while protecting regional peace and stability.

The latest remarks come amid continued efforts by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to modernize the country’s armed forces. Earlier this week, KCNA reported that Pyongyang had adopted new measures to strengthen its nuclear forces “both quantitatively and qualitatively,” reflecting Kim’s broader push to enhance military capabilities.

The exchange of statements underscores the widening divide between North Korea and the US-led alliance at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. As NATO expands defense cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific and North Korea advances its military modernization, prospects for renewed dialogue on denuclearization remain uncertain, with both sides maintaining sharply opposing views on regional security and strategic stability.