North Korea condemns 'war merchant' U.S. for military aid to Israel

The commentary came at the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's two-day visit to Seoul, where he focused heavily on the Middle East situation, North Korea issues and the Russia-Ukraine war in discussions with South Korean officials.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, bids farewell to U.S. Secretary of State Blinken after a luncheon at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District in central Seoul on Thursday. Blinken wrapped up a two-day visit to Seoul later that day. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

North Korea slammed U.S. military support for Israel in its ongoing war with the Hamas militant group, accusing Washington of aggravating the Middle East situation in state media Friday.

The commentary came at the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's two-day visit to Seoul, where he focused heavily on the Middle East situation, North Korea issues and the Russia-Ukraine war in discussions with South Korean officials.

"The U.S. has systemically handed over massive murder equipment to Israel, forcing them into invasion and slaughter," the North's leading official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported Friday.

Pyongyang accused Washington of being a "ringleader" and aggravating the situation in the Middle East while denying allegations that the Hamas militant group has used North Korean weapons. North Korea has been siding with Hamas over the ongoing conflict with Israel.

It also accused the United States of having sold weapons to other countries in the guise of promoting "democratic values." The Rodong Sinmun said it is "shameless" to see such a "war merchant" create a new arms race in many countries and regions of the world through its weapons sales that threaten peace and security.

On Wednesday evening, Blinken began his first visit to Seoul since President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May 2022 after attending a Group of 7 (G7) foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo.

Yoon raised the Middle East and North Korea's nuclear weapons issues as he hosted Blinken at a luncheon at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Thursday.

"Now is a time when U.S. leadership is becoming increasingly important due to instability in the Middle East, along with the issue of North Korea and its nuclear program, and the war in Ukraine," Yoon was quoted as saying to Blinken by Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs.

Yoon and Blinken discussed the "vital role" of the Korea-U. S. alliance "in preserving peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, throughout the Indo-Pacific, and around the world," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement Thursday.

They shared concerns about North Korea's provocations in the region and "strongly condemned the provision of military equipment and munitions" to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, Miller added.

Blinken further thanked Yoon for Korea's pledge to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

"In the Middle East, the United States appreciates Korea's leadership in condemning Hamas's terrorist attacks and in swiftly sending humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians," Blinken said in a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Park in Seoul later Thursday.

"We strongly condemn the indiscriminate attacks on Israel," Park said, expressing "deep concern" that the "armed conflict between Israel and Hamas is causing a sharp rise in civilian casualties."

Regarding a reporter's question on reports that Hamas allegedly used weapons from Pyongyang in its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Park said that Seoul and Washington are "closely watching" this relationship and stressed, "if any relationship between them is revealed, then North Korea should be condemned accordingly."

Park added that the "crisis unfolding in the Middle East is potentially related to the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

Kim Myong Chol, a North Korean commentator on international affairs, called out U.S. officials visiting the region in a Rodong Sinmun article published Thursday entitled "Unwelcome guests' Confrontational Visit Bringing about a new war cloud on the Korean peninsula and Asia-Pacific region."

Kim wrote that "high-ranking officials of the U.S. administration are touring the Asia-Pacific region amid the protracted Ukrainian situation and the uncontrollable armed conflict in the Middle East region," referring to Blinken by name.

"What should not be overlooked is that uninvited guests from across ocean will seek the extreme confrontation on the Korean peninsula which is the biggest hotspot in the world and has reached the height of explosion," Kim added.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]