North Korea Condemns U.S. Arms Package for Taiwan

North Korea criticized the U.S. arms package for Taiwan, accusing the United States of pushing tensions in the region to a "flashpoint for another war," according to North Korean state media on Friday. In a statement reported by the Korean Central News Agency, Maeng Yong Rim, director-general of the Chinese Affairs Department at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, described the plan as a "serious military and political provocation and a blatant violation of the one-China principle." He pointed out that it reflects "the U.S. malicious intent to turn Taiwan into a forward base against China and a trench on the front line for implementing its strategy to deter China." He emphasized that "the Asia-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait, is not a stage for U.S. military activity nor a site for war tests," warning the United States that it "will pay dearly for provoking the core interests of China." The United States announced a $345 million aid package for Taiwan while Congress approved arms worth up to $1 billion for the island in the 2023 budget. Beijing claims sovereignty over the democratically governed island and has repeatedly warned against any "official communications" between Washington and Taipei. Taiwan rejects China's claims and states that only the Taiwanese people can determine their own future.