North Korea Reacts to 'Nuclear Threat' From US

North Korea has accused the United States of a "dangerous act" and of hypocrisy following a recent subcritical nuclear test.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea will not allow a strategic imbalance and security vacuum to be created on the Korean peninsula," North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday, using the country's official name.

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced last week it had successfully carried out the subcritical experiment, which did not trigger a fissile chain reaction, at the Nevada National Security Site.

The agency said it plans to increase the frequency of these tests to gather more data on nuclear weapons materials, without needing to return to explosive testing. The U.S.'s last known nuclear explosion test was in 1992, and the country has since adhered to a moratorium.

The U.S., as the country that has carried out the most nuclear tests, "has no right to comment on anyone's threat of nuclear war," the North Korean statement said.

The ministry also pointed out the U.S. had deployed nuclear-capable submarines to South Korea last year, for the first time in decades, and is planning "an actual nuclear operation exercise" with Seoul in August.

North Korea previously warned of a "catastrophic aftermath" if the planned joint military exercises, designed to simulate a response to Pyongyang's potential use of a nuclear weapon, proceed.

The ministry pledged the North would "thoroughly" protect its rights and interests in response to the evolving U.S. nuclear threat."

Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing, China, outside of office hours with a written request for comment.

North Korea, which has conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017, has threatened a seventh and in 2022 updated its nuclear doctrine to abandon its non-first-use policy.

The country has also upped the frequency of its ballistic missile tests in recent months, including those it says can be equipped with nuclear warheads.

The international community remains concerned about North Korea's nuclear ambitions. South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. have repeatedly called for stronger international measures and enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions meant to curb Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.

Analysts have suggested North Korean leader Kim Jong Un views his nuclear arsenal as essential to deterring foreign intervention and strengthening his bargaining power.

Tokyo, Seoul, and Washington have agreed to enhance their trilateral cooperation to counter North Korea's threats.

In his memoir, released Saturday, former South Korean President Moon Jae-in recounted how Kim had "sincerely explained his commitment to denuclearization" during their first summit in 2018.

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute of National Unification, told NK News that Kim's statements were likely aimed at manipulation while continuing to advance his nuclear capabilities

Update 5/21/24, 4:00 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional context.