North Korea has stated that South Korea’s potential acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines could trigger a new arms race and warned it is prepared to take steps to protect its own interests. According to the American side, permission for Seoul to build such a submarine was granted by U.S. President Donald Trump on October 30.

As reported by Bloomberg agency, Pyongyang believes that the potential appearance of nuclear submarines in South Korea’s possession could set off a “nuclear domino” effect and escalate into a global arms race.

“The Republic of Korea’s possession of a nuclear-powered submarine represents a strategic step to facilitate the production of ‘its own nuclear weapons,’ which will inevitably provoke a ‘nuclear domino phenomenon’ in the region and lead to an arms race,” stated a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pyongyang criticized Seoul’s plans, emphasizing that the DPRK will develop “more justified and realistic countermeasures” to protect its sovereignty and security interests, as well as to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula.

On October 30, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had approved granting South Korea the right to build a nuclear-powered submarine. However, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun later expressed surprise at this public announcement by the American leader.