ARMS RACE PERIL

North Korea’s foreign ministry on Monday said a new US alliance in the Indo-pacific and Washington’s recent submarine contract with Australia could trigger a “nuclear arms race”.

Last week the US announced a new three-way security pact with Australia and Britain, as part of a strategic partnership under which American nuclear submarines will be supplied to Canberra.

“These are extremely undesirable and dangerous acts which will upset the strategic balance in the Asia-pacific region and trigger off a chain of nuclear arms races,” a foreign ministry official said.