DPRK slams U.S. decision to transfer nuke-powered submarine tech to Australia

PYONGYANG, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday criticized the United States for transferring the technology of building nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

The KCNA quoted the chief of the Foreign News Section of the Department of Press and Information of the Foreign Ministry as saying that the U.S. decision was "extremely undesirable and dangerous acts which will upset the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region and trigger off a chain of nuclear arms race."

The unnamed official noted that the White House decision "amounts to a stand that any country can spread nuclear technology if it is in its interests, and this shows that the U.S. is the chief culprit toppling the international nuclear non-proliferation system."

The official further pointed out that "the U.S. double-dealing attitude getting all the more pronounced after the emergence of the new administration erodes the universally-accepted international norm and order and seriously threatens the world peace and stability."

"We are closely looking into the background of the U.S. recent decision and its prospect and will certainly take a corresponding counteraction in case it has even a little adverse impact on the security of our country," the official added.

Under the new security partnership unveiled on Wednesday among Australia, Britain and the United States, known as AUKUS, Australia will build nuclear-powered submarines with U.S. and British technology.