North Korea Criticizes USFK Commander's 'Dagger' Remark on South Korea

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Wednesday criticized a recent remark by the commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) likening South Korea to a "dagger" aimed at China, warning that such an approach toward Beijing would only spur greater cooperation among countries in the region to counter Washington.

The Korean Central News Agency carried a commentary by an international relations critic after USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson called South Korea a "dagger in the heart of Asia" seen from China's east coast in a podcast interview Friday.

"His assertion served as an occasion of revealing once again the position of the ROK as an advanced base for carrying out the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy," the English version of the commentary read. The ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

His remarks "clearly show the vicious appearance of the U.S. as the chieftain of harassing peace and the world's worst war empire, which has regarded the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity as the main battlefield for camp confrontation and new Cold War," it said.

The commentator argued that Brunson's remarks were not merely "an impromptu assertion" of an individual but rather reflected the strategic thinking of successive U.S. administrations that have sought to use their ally as a "geopolitical instrument" to contain China.

"The U.S. attempt to bolster up the collective deterrence against the anti-imperialist independent forces in the Asia-Pacific region will inevitably invite security concerns of neighboring powers and promote increased cooperation to offset it," the commentary said.

The critic also claimed that cooperation between Seoul and Washington on South Korea's push for nuclear-powered submarines is "directly linked" to U.S. efforts to use the South as a deterrent against China and to secure strategic flexibility in the region.

Strategic flexibility refers to the adjustment of U.S. forces' posture beyond the Korean Peninsula.

Brunson's remarks triggered controversy in Korea and strong criticism from China, with the Chinese Embassy in Seoul issuing a statement accusing him of "crossing the line" by revealing his belligerence.

Speaking at a defense forum in Singapore on Saturday, Brunson said he was trying to describe the changing operational environment and highlight the need for different strategic perspectives.