North Korea Slams Trump’s “Golden Dome” Missile Shield as Grave Space Militarization Threat
Pyongyang warns new U.S. defense system could spark global arms race and nuclear space conflict.
Watan-In a sharp escalation of tensions, North Korea described U.S. President Donald Trump’s new missile defense project, dubbed the “Golden Dome”, as an extremely dangerous threat designed to militarize outer space, according to North Korea’s official news agency on Tuesday.
Trump recently unveiled new details and initial funding for the Golden Dome system, calling it “critical to the success and even survival of our nation.”
However, the project faces serious technological and political hurdles, and its financial costs are expected to be immense, according to analysts.
In a formal memorandum issued by North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, Pyongyang warned the international community that “The U.S. plan to establish a new missile defense system is a highly threatening initiative aimed at undermining the strategic security of nuclear-armed nations.”
North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported that the ministry accused Washington of being“determined to take steps toward the militarization of outer space.”
The memo added that:“The American plan for a new missile shield is the root cause of triggering a global nuclear and space arms race, heightening security concerns among nuclear states and turning outer space into a potential theater for nuclear warfare.”
Regional and Global Response
In recent years, the U.S.—South Korea’s main security ally—has increased joint military exercises with Seoul and deployed more strategic assets to the region, including aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines, in response to North Korean threats.
Despite being under severe international sanctions, North Korea declared itself an “irreversible nuclear power” in 2022 and frequently denounces U.S.-South Korea joint drills as invasion rehearsals.
Speaking to AFP, Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said Pyongyang sees the “Golden Dome” as a direct strategic threat.
“The strong reaction from North Korea shows they believe the Golden Dome could significantly degrade the effectiveness of their nuclear arsenal, particularly their intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs),” he said.
He added that if the U.S. completes the new defense system, North Korea would be forced to develop alternative methods to evade or penetrate it.
China and Russia Respond
China also expressed strong opposition to the Golden Dome initiative, accusing the U.S. of undermining global stability.
Beijing is actively working to narrow the missile technology gap with Washington, including advancements in ballistic and hypersonic missile systems, while Russia is modernizing its intercontinental missile platforms and precision-strike capabilities, according to the Pentagon’s 2022 Missile Defense Review.
The Kremlin said the matter was an internal U.S. issue, but added that“in the near future, developments will necessitate resuming communication to restore strategic stability” between Washington and Moscow.
A Name with Symbolic Weight
The “Golden Dome” name draws comparisons to Israel’s “Iron Dome”, a defensive system designed to intercept short-range rockets and drones, operational since 2011.
According to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Israeli defense contractor behind the Iron Dome, the system boasts a 90% interception rate and has stopped thousands of rockets.
In contrast, the U.S. Golden Dome project targets long-range threats—notably from Russia, China, and North Korea—marking a dramatic expansion from Israel’s Iron Dome, which is limited to short-range defense.
