North Korea has issued a sharp attack on proposed "Golden Dome" missile defence system, warning it could transform space into a battleground for nuclear war. The cutting-edge defence shield - intended to protect the US from “next-generation” threats such as hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles - was unveiled last week.

Though still in development, the Golden Dome is designed as a network of radar, interceptors, and space-based weapons that will neutralise airborne and spaceborne attacks with unprecedented speed and precision. But sees it as a provocation. Pyongyang’s foreign ministry, as reported by state media, called the plan “the height of self-righteousness [and] arrogance,” accusing Washington of being “hell-bent... to militarise outer space.”

They warned the plan could “turn outer space into a potential nuclear war field” and ignite “a global nuclear and space arms race.” The attack marks a striking contrast to the brief diplomatic thaw between Pyongyang and Washington during Trump’s first presidency.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

In 2018, the US leader became the first sitting president to meet a North Korean leader when he held a historic summit with in Singapore. The unprecedented encounter led to a flurry of personal correspondence between the two leaders, with Trump famously describing Kim's letters as “love letters” and calling their relationship a “very good one.”

But despite the high-profile diplomacy, denuclearisation talks collapsed in 2019, and tensions have steadily returned. North Korea has since doubled down on weapons development and declared itself a nuclear weapons state under a 2022 law.

Earlier this year, it claimed to have test-fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic warhead capable of reaching US military targets in the Pacific. Analysts say Pyongyang likely views the Golden Dome as a strategic threat.

“If the US completes its new missile defence programme, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it,” said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

He noted that the system could “significantly weaken” North Korea’s nuclear deterrent.

North Korea isn’t alone in its objections. has also condemned the Golden Dome project.

Beijing last week said it was “seriously concerned” about the US plan, describing it as having “strong offensive implications.”

China’s foreign ministry accused Washington of pursuing a “‘US-first’ policy” and said the effort “violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability.”

While US defence officials argue that an upgraded missile shield is essential in the face of new threats, critics warn that the Golden Dome could spark further instability.

The project’s scale and ambition have raised questions not just about geopolitical fallout, but also about cost and feasibility.

An initial £18.5 billion has been earmarked for the programme in a new defence budget bill. However, government estimates suggest the full cost could soar to £375 billion over several decades, potentially straining the Pentagon’s budget and drawing political resistance at home.