Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

DPRK honing ICBMs capable of reaching US: Ex-intel officer

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Sep 2023 10:39
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

The American intelligence officer worked for decades in the Korean Peninsula and was tasked with implementing Washington's policy to subdue the DPRK and ensure a more US-friendly region.

  • x
  • Exert more pressure, sanctions on DPRK: Ex-US Intelligence officer
    Citizens of the DPRK protest US policies against their country and confirm their support to their government in repelling Washington's hostility in Pyongyang, DPRK, on August 9, 2017 (AFP)

Arriving at the Korean Peninsula decades ago as a US military intelligence officer, Syd Seiler has had hands-on experience dealing with events that led to the rise of the nuclear conflict between the DPRK and South Korea fueled by the United States and its regional allies, including Japan.

With over 40 years of experience, Seiler has engaged in directing strategic assessments, formulating national policy, and advising military commanders and the political leadership in South Korea, in addition to secretly negotiating with senior officials from the DPRK and surrounding nations such as China.

In his retirement message, Seiler said he believes that the US-led international community must continue to exert pressure and adopt sanctions against Pyongyang and should not accept the fact that the East Asian country has become a nuclear power, the former spy told AP.

Read more: Pax Americana industry, nuclear 'madmen', and the umbrella illusion

“That’s a failure of deterrence?” he asked, rhetorically. “That’s nonsense. We’re deterring an attack.”

Seiler said DPRK's actions and statements are not random but follow a strategic and rhythmic approach. Pyongyang uses a combination of military exercises, missile tests, and threats of launching a “deluge of fire” on South Korea.

This tactic, according to Seiler, is seen as a means to postulate its position in the region and achieve its objectives, which include asserting its sovereignty, deterring potential adversaries and threats, or enhancing its position in negotiations.

Related News

Syria welcomes US decision to lift sanctions, hosts US delegation

Trump claims Gaza war to end in weeks, despite ongoing Israeli assault

However, Seiler claimed that Pyongyang's fear is only focused on outside threats, rather also from within.

Decades-long sanctions and embargo against the country have left it suffering from a number of humanitarian issues, including a shortage of food and medical supplies.

The former intelligence service member said he believes that this seige would result in what could mount to an "internal uprising" against the DPRK's ruling party, hinting that this is a real objective of the strategy pursued by the US; an artificial and Western orchestrated economic challenge and commodity scarcity, which would portray Pyongyang in front of the country's citizens as responsible for the all domestic problems.

Read more: DPRK warns US of nuclear deterrence if it continues 'hostile policy'

Despite claiming that the DPRK's "main fear" today comes from "internal threats", Seiler warned that the country has bolstered its capabilities to produce missiles capable of reaching the "protector of South Korea"; the United States. In his statement, the ex-spy indicated that the DPRK's power has evolved beyond deterring regional hostile countries and has become capable of reaching the superpower's mainland.

Pyongyang was "clearly developing capabilities that would enhance its position vis-à-vis South Korea. And so going forward, this is where the room for concern is."

The United States recently escalated its military presence in the East Asia region and boosted its security ties with Japan and South Korea, most notably regarding nuclear cooperation. Pyongyang described the emerging bloc as a "NATO-style nuclear alliance." This view was also shared by China, as it is the main target of the US-led hypermilitarized group.

In July, the US deployed its second nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) submarine in South Korea. The move came shortly after the three allies agreed to unite a nuclear response in case of a war with the DPRK.

Several global powers, including China and Russia, have expressed serious concerns about the United States' activities in the region. Both nations have issued warnings, emphasizing that Washington's aggressive militarization strategy in the South China Sea poses a significant threat to regional stability and increases the risk of a potential nuclear conflict.

  • United States
  • East Asia
  • Japan
  • DPRK
  • South China Sea
  • nuclear weapons
  • South Korea

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS