N. Korea accuses U.S. of acquiescing in nuclear proliferation with 'double standards'

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's foreign ministry on Sunday accused the United States of "acquiescing" in nuclear proliferation around the world based on "double standards," taking issue with the U.S.' recent submarine deal with Australia and other policy moves.

The ministry made the accusations in an article, entitled "Is the U.S. really a guardian of the nuclear non-proliferation regime?," claiming that the international community is paying attention to the U.S.' "systematic" violation of the regime.

"The U.S. itself has ignored the principle of nuclear non-proliferation and allowed for double standards in line with their strategy for the domination of the world," the ministry said in the writing.

The ministry stressed that the U.S. built and used nuclear arms for the first time in the world and took the first proliferation step by transferring technology for nuclear-powered submarines to Britain on the pretext of responding to threats from the then Soviet Union in the past.

The ministry also took note of the recent trilateral agreement among the U.S., Britain and Australia to equip Australia with "conventionally-armed" but nuclear-powered submarines.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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