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North Korea appears on edge in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes eliminating Iran's leadership

Published: 02 Mar. 2026, 17:15 Updated: 02 Mar. 2026, 19:25

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at a military parade held in Pyongyang on Feb. 25 to mark the closing of the Ninth Workers’ Party Congress in this photo carried by the Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 26. [NEWS1]

Strikes that took out Iran's top leadership by the United States and Israel have put North Korea on edge, drawing a sharply worded condemnation that reflected Pyongyang’s deep unease about the reach of U.S. military power.

A spokesperson from the North's foreign ministry described the airstrike operation on Pyongyang's ally as an "illegal act of aggression and the most despicable form of a violation of sovereignty," in a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday.

The statement marked the North's first official response since Tehran confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Sunday.

The ministry spokesperson said the escalation had long been foreseeable, calling it “a sure logical result from the U.S. hegemonic and rogue nature.” The statement accused Washington of placing domestic law above internationally recognized law and of abusing military force to advance what it described as “selfish and hegemonic ambition.”

"The DPRK condemns in the strongest tone the shameless rogue act of the U.S. and Israel," the ministry said, using the initialism for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name.

"The U.S. increased acts for hegemony witnessed by the international community this year is a positive example to show their destructive role destroying global peace and stability and its grave consequences."

This combination of pictures created on Feb. 20 shows U.S. President Donald Trump, left, gesturing during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025; and a handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him waving during a ceremony in Tehran on Aug. 24, 2025. Iran's state TV on March 1 confirmed the death of Iranian supreme leader Khamenei after the United States announced that he had been killed in strikes on Iran. [AFP/YONHAP]

North Korea notably suggested that the consequences of the strike could extend beyond the Middle East. The foreign ministry warned that “high-handed and arbitrary practices” that do not face “powerful counteraction and adequate resistance” would force directly affected countries to “pay dear price."

This "may have a negative effect, which can not be disregarded politically, economically and geopolitically, on the region which has no connection with the present Iranian situation," the ministry added.

Analysts argue that the warning points not only to possible shocks to the global economy, including higher oil prices, but also to Pyongyang’s concern that it could become Washington’s next target.

The language also echoes the North's longstanding justification for its nuclear weapons program, consistently framing its arsenal as a deterrent against what it views as the threat of U.S.-led regime change.

However, the statement did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump by name. Since the start of Trump's second term, North Korea has avoided directly criticizing him, a restraint that some analysts interpret as an effort to preserve diplomatic flexibility.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks during the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, in this photo released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]

Still, prospects for renewed dialogue appear uncertain. During the Workers’ Party’s Ninth Congress on Feb. 20 and 21, leader Kim Jong-un reiterated that any improvement in relations with Washington would require recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state.

Foreign policy experts in Seoul wager that the events in Iran are likely to reinforce Kim’s emphasis on strengthening his country’s nuclear deterrent.

Trump, in remarks posted on social media on the day of the strike, cited Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range missile systems capable of reaching the U.S. mainland as justification for the operation.

Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, North Korea is not recognized as a nuclear power. As a country that developed nuclear arms outside that framework, it could conclude that it, too, faces the risk of being pushed into an extreme situation like Iran’s — reinforcing its view that only a nuclear arsenal can guarantee regime survival.

North Korea test-fires an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system to assess its effectiveness on Jan. 27, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 28. [YONHAP]

North Korea has taken a similar stance before. During the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Kim viewed the demise of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi as a cautionary example, accelerating his push to expand the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

"Kim Jong-un could use the Iran conflict to reinforce both domestic and external arguments for maintaining and advancing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal," said Kim Jae-chun, a professor at Sogang University’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Trump’s public call for Iranians to “take over” their government may also weigh on Pyongyang’s leadership. North Korea has long regarded external support for popular uprisings as a direct threat to regime survival.

Analysts say Kim is likely to tighten internal controls and restrict the flow of information about the events in Iran. At the recent congress, he emphasized the need for "discipline" and a "strict system and order" across Party organizations, according to the KCNA, signaling a renewed focus on political cohesion.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON JI-WON [[email protected]]

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North Korea appears on edge in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes eliminating Iran's leadership

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