Immediate Fallout: Sub Deal Triggers North’s Fury

The immediate fallout from South Korea’s new submarine deal has been swift and furious. On Tuesday, North Korea condemned the agreement between Seoul and Washington, warning of a “nuclear domino” effect. This reaction effectively neutralized the positive impact of a peace offer made just 24 hours earlier.
The deal was finalized last week by President Lee Jae Myung. It secures U.S. support for expanding South Korea’s authority over uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing. North Korea described the move as a “dangerous attempt at confrontation,” predicting it would spark a “hot arms race.”
The proposal for military talks was the first in seven years. President Lee has sought to engage the North without preconditions, hoping to avoid exactly this kind of fallout. However, the North’s reaction shows that military issues remain the primary driver of relations.
The “nuclear domino” warning suggests that the fallout will continue. North Korea is arguing that the deal has permanently damaged the security environment. This narrative sets the stage for further confrontation.
North Korea has not yet responded to the proposal for talks. The focus on the fallout suggests that the North is not in a mood to talk. The region braces for the aftershocks of the deal.