Amid escalating tensions between South and North Korea along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), a war of words between the two sides is intensifying on the diplomatic stage at the United Nations.

Following earlier clashes over landmine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the two Koreas continued their exchange of accusations as North Korea targeted South Korea's deterrence posture against the North, asking, "Are you saying you will develop your own nuclear weapons?"

South Korea also countered North Korea's repeated unfounded claims by exercising an unscheduled right of reply.

According to the United Nations yesterday, October 24 (local time), an official from the North Korean mission to the UN claimed at the 20th meeting of the UN General Assembly's First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) held at the UN Headquarters in New York the day before yesterday, October 23 (local time), that "North Korea has no intention or reason to deal with South Korea in any way."

The official added, "Nonetheless, South Korea conducts nuclear war exercises targeting North Korea together with the United States every year, while openly talking about countermeasures against North Korea," asking, "What kind of countermeasures are you going to take against a nuclear-weapon state?"

The official then challenged South Korea's response measures, asking, "Are you saying you will develop your own nuclear weapons, or are you saying you will attack North Korea with U.S. nuclear weapons?"

The North Korean representative also brought up the joint South Korea-U.S. military drills conducted in August.

He claimed that the drills were an "overt nuclear war rehearsal" aimed at mastering the procedures and methods for attacking North Korea with nuclear weapons.

He continued, "The provocative side is South Korea, not North Korea," adding, "We strongly advise South Korea to find ways and means to guarantee its own security rather than provoking us."

Prior to these remarks, a South Korean representative emphasized that the South Korea-U.S. combined defense and deterrence posture is a legitimate defensive measure to respond to North Korea's military threats, while stressing a resolution through dialogue.

The South Korean representative stated, "Our delegation did not plan to speak today, but due to the repeated and groundless claims by the North Korean delegation, we had no choice but to exercise the right of reply."

The representative continued, "The South Korea-U.S. combined defense and deterrence posture is meant to respond to North Korea's growing military threats, not the other way around."

The representative also criticized North Korea for continuing to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

In the UN First Committee, clashes have persisted over recent inter-Korean military tensions and North Korea's nuclear weapons development.

Previously, North Korea defined South Korea as the 'most hostile state,' reaffirming its hardline stance on inter-Korean relations, while South Korea criticized North Korea's laying of landmines in the DMZ and its nuclear and missile development, urging a return to dialogue.

The South Korean government is also stepping up diplomatic measures, having sent a letter on October 22 to the president of the UN Security Council raising the issue of armistice violations regarding the DMZ landmine explosion incident.

(Photo: UN Web TV capture, Yonhap News)