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North Korea on Wednesday criticized remarks by the top U.S. military official in South Korea, accusing Washington of viewing Seoul as a geopolitical tool in its strategy to contain China.
The criticism followed comments by Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), who described South Korea as “the dagger in the heart of Asia” during an interview.
His remarks came amid growing speculation that Washington could seek to expand the role of USFK beyond deterring North Korea to countering China's regional influence.
About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to help defend against the nuclear-armed North.
North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published a commentary by analyst Kim Myong Chol, who said Brunson's remarks demonstrated Washington's broader regional strategy.
Kim described the United States as “the chieftain of harassing peace and the world's worst war empire.”
According to the commentary, Brunson's statement reflected Washington's intention to use South Korea “as an important geopolitical instrument to realise its regional strategy aimed at containing China.”
Kim, who is based in Japan and is widely regarded as an unofficial overseas spokesman for North Korea, made the remarks in the KCNA commentary.
China has long been North Korea's main trading partner and a major source of diplomatic and economic support.
Brunson said in the interview that when China looks eastward, “what they see is there's Korea, the dagger in the heart of Asia.”
He also compared Japan to “a shield that's sort of a backstop” against China's regional ambitions, according to a transcript published by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College.
The remarks drew attention in both Seoul and Beijing.
South Korea's presidential office said over the weekend that it was aware of Brunson's comments and has been “maintaining communication at various levels regarding all relevant issues.”
Local media outlets, including News1 and JTBC, reported that Seoul raised concerns with the United States over the remarks.
Last week, China's embassy in Seoul condemned Brunson's comments, saying they had “truly crossed the line” and were “rife with hostility and aggression toward China.”
The embassy also questioned whether the remarks had been authorized by Washington.
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