US ‘Golden Dome’ Could Ignite Nuclear Conflict -North Korea

North Korea has denounced the United States’ intentions to build a state-of-the-art “Golden Dome” missile defense network, cautioning that it could “turn outer space into a potential nuclear war field”.

The advanced system, which President Donald Trump aims to reveal before concluding his presidency, is being developed to tackle “next-generation” threats from the sky, such as cruise and ballistic missiles.

According to reports from state-run outlets, officials in Pyongyang’s foreign ministry described the proposal as “the height of self-righteousness [and] arrogance”.

They also accused the US of being “hell-bent… to militarise outer space”, suggesting the initiative might escalate tensions and trigger “a global nuclear and space arms race”.

North Korea has consistently positioned the US as a hostile power and frequently lashes out at joint defense exercises carried out by Washington and Seoul.

Hong Min, a leading expert at the Korea Institute for National Unification, shared with AFP that Pyongyang likely views this missile initiative as a move that could “significantly weaken” its current nuclear strategy.

He added, “If the US completes its new missile defence programme, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it”.

In 2022, North Korea enacted legislation officially naming itself a nuclear-armed nation. Since then, it has ramped up its weapons testing, launching a series of both cruise and ballistic missiles.

Earlier this year, it announced the successful test of a medium-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic warhead, asserting that the weapon “will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region”.

China has echoed North Korea’s disapproval of the US plans. In a statement last week, Beijing expressed that it is “seriously concerned” about the Golden Dome project, claiming it carries “strong offensive implications”.

“The United States, in pursuing a ‘US-first’ policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself,” China’s foreign ministry said. “This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability.”

While some defense specialists agree the US needs to modernize its outdated protective systems, they caution that bringing the Golden Dome to life could be hindered by both political resistance and technological complexity.

One concern is the financial burden it may impose. Although $25 billion (£18.7 billion) has been set aside in the latest funding plan, projections suggest the full cost could swell to 20 times that amount over the coming decades.