SEOUL, MAY 27 (V7N) – North Korea on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, vehemently criticized US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan, labeling it a "very dangerous" threat that could instigate nuclear conflict in space, according to state media.

Trump had unveiled new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, emphasizing its critical importance for the "success and even survival of our country." Analysts, however, suggest the initiative faces considerable technical and political hurdles and is anticipated to come with a substantial price tag.

In a statement disseminated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's foreign ministry denounced the "very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states." The ministry further accused the United States of being "hell-bent on the moves to militarize outer space."

"The US plan for building a new missile defense system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning... outer space into a potential nuclear war field," the statement added.

Washington, a key security ally of Seoul, has in recent years intensified joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter North Korea. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely condemns joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.

Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP that Pyongyang perceives Trump's "Golden Dome" as a significant threat. "The North's strong reaction suggests it views the Golden Dome as capable of significantly weakening the effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal, including its ICBMs," he said. "If the US completes its new missile defence programme, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it."

China has also voiced strong concerns regarding Washington's Golden Dome plan, accusing the United States of undermining global stability. Beijing is reportedly narrowing the gap with Washington in ballistic and hypersonic missile technology. Meanwhile, Moscow is modernizing its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, according to a 2022 Pentagon review.

The Kremlin, after initially criticizing the idea as destabilizing, has since softened its tone, stating that Trump's initiative would necessitate consultations with Russia but was otherwise a "sovereign matter" for the United States.

The "Golden Dome" name for the plan draws inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since its operational deployment in 2011. While the United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, these differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.

END/WD/RH/