• North Korea labels the U.S. "Golden Dome" missile defense a nuclear war scenario.
• President Trump's initiative aims to create a 175 billion dollar missile defense system.
• Critics say the plan could escalate an arms race in space and provoke nuclear tensions.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry has condemned the United States' "Golden Dome" missile defense project, calling it a "very dangerous threatening initiative" that could turn outer space into a zone for nuclear conflict. In a memorandum released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea stated that the U.S. plan threatens the strategic security of nuclear-armed states, asserting that it contributes to a militarized outer space scenario, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

President Donald Trump announced the initiative on May 20, pledging significant funding towards developing the system, which is intended to protect against advanced missile threats, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles. Analysts have highlighted the initiative's hefty price tag, estimated at around $175 billion, as potentially facing serious technological and political challenges, reports South China Morning Post and India Times.

The memorandum further stated that the U.S. is "hell-bent on the moves to militarise outer space," culminating in a potential arms race as it provokes security concerns among nuclear powers. North Korea insists that such military initiatives serve as a pretext for the U.S. to justify its hegemony-driven strategies, according to BBC and Newsweek.

In a broader international context, both China and Russia have echoed North Korea's concerns, suggesting that the U.S. project undermines global stability and could ignite a nuclear arms race. China's foreign ministry has articulated that the Golden Dome plan compromises the security balance of all nations, as it prioritizes U.S. defense at the expense of global peace, detailed by Anadolu Agency and The Hill.