North Korea on Sunday dismissed the latest proposed US weapons sales to South Korea, asserting that they will not "save" Seoul from its strategic vulnerabilities, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In a commentary, Pyongyang accused Washington of intensifying arms provisions to allies as part of an effort to "cement its hegemonic status" and disrupt the regional balance of power. The remarks follow an announcement by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency regarding proposed arms sales to South Korea. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, the package includes BQM-177A subsonic sea-skimming aerial targets for Aegis-equipped destroyers and GQM-163 target drones. KCNA criticized the US as "the world's biggest war merchant," accusing it of aggressively pushing weapons sales to allied nations. It described the arms provisions to South Korea as part of a "persistent scheme" to advance US geopolitical ambitions. "No weapons aid from the US can redeem South Korea from its fate of strategic deficiency ... the US will not be able to realize its ambition due to our righteous power," the statement said. North Korea has consistently condemned military cooperation between the US and South Korea, viewing it as a direct threat to its security. Last week, Pyongyang vowed to maintain "the toughest counteraction" against Washington as long as it perceives the US as disregarding North Korea's sovereignty and security interests. — Agencies
