North Korea on Saturday accused NATO of intensifying its military preparations for future conflicts, claiming the alliance’s planned expansion of its fuel supply network signals its transformation into a more aggressive military bloc.
In a commentary published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang criticised NATO’s reported plans to expand and modernise its military fuel transport infrastructure across Europe, including new pipelines and fuel storage facilities linking western Europe with newer eastern and northern member states.
According to the commentary, the project demonstrates NATO’s emphasis on maintaining strategic military reserves and reflects preparations for potential conflicts extending beyond Europe into the Asia-Pacific region.
“In recent years, NATO, which has talked about the inseparability of the security in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, is more frequently introducing strategic assets of its member states into the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrating its military existence, and frequently staging adventurous muscle flexing in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula in collusion with the countries hostile towards the DPRK,” KCNA said.
Pyongyang also criticised the participation of NATO members in multinational military exercises, including the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) drills, arguing that such activities indicate the alliance increasingly views the Asia-Pacific as a potential theatre of military conflict.