North Korea Accuses US of Making 2023 More Dangerous and Fomenting Asian NATO

North Korea's envoy to the United Nations accused the US and South Korea of pushing the Korean peninsula closer to nuclear war, stating that his country had no choice but to accelerate its self-defense capabilities. The envoy emphasized the dangerous situation on the Korean peninsula and the need for North Korea to defend itself against external threats. North Korea has conducted numerous ballistic missile tests in recent years, asserting its right to self-defense. The country has been under UN Security Council sanctions since 2006, but there is division among the council members on how to address the issue.