North Korean media decries proposed South Korea

Camp Humphreys, a U.S. Forces Korea base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Yonhap

A North Korean media outlet on Sunday slammed the United States for its recent proposal to create a new working-level defense dialogue with South Korea, accusing Washington of seeking to raise military pressure on Pyongyang.

The U.S. floated the idea of instituting the unofficial dialogue platform during the allies' regular defense talks in Seoul last month, sources have said, as Washington is pushing to rally its democratic allies to counter China's growing assertiveness.

Meari, a North Korean propaganda website, claimed that the proposed dialogue is yet another attempt by the U.S. to add pressure on the North and reinforce its regional policy initiative.

"The United States can be seen as seeking to usefully capitalize on the (proposed) defense working group to tighten its grab on South Korea's defense sector, pressure North Korea militarily and by extension, strengthen the realization of its Indo-Pacific strategy," the website said in an article.

It also rebuked the South for considering the proposed launch of such a defense dialogue based on a "sense of subservience" to the U.S.

Washington has reportedly proposed the dialogue to help find common ground between its Indo-Pacific strategy and Seoul's New Southern Policy aimed at deepening relations with Southeast Asian countries.

The two sides were expected to discuss the issue during their annual defense ministerial talks, called the Security Consultative Meeting, slated to take place in Seoul in December. (Yonhap)