U.S. officials' visit to South Korea will bring 'new war cloud': North Korean expert

A North Korean expert on international affairs on Wednesday criticized the planned visit of top U.S. officials to South Korea and warned it will bring a "new war cloud" on the Korean Peninsula and Asia-Pacific region.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to arrive in Seoul later today while the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is set to visit Seoul next week.

"It is a typical example that high-ranking officials of the U.S. administration are touring the Asia-Pacific region amid the protracted Ukrainian situation and the uncontrollable armed conflict in the Middle East region," Kim Myong-chol, an international affairs expert, wrote in the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim said that top U.S. officials' visit will bring about "new war clouds" in the Asia-Pacific region.

The criticism comes as officials from the U.S., South Korea, and Japan held their first trilateral working-level talks to boost cooperation in space security.

"In this vein, the three countries discussed ways to promote safe, secure, and sustainable use of outer space, and enhance the resilience of space systems," Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula persist as Seoul cements its relations with Washington and Tokyo while Pyongyang has grown closer to Russia.

The U.S., South Korea, and Japan claim Pyongyang is allegedly providing military equipment and munitions to Moscow for its war against Ukraine.