North Korea denounces U.S. actions in Iraq

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- North Korea state media condemned the United States for the drone attack that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, calling the event a "violation of Iraqi sovereignty."

The statement on recent events in the Middle East came the same day Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles targeting Iraqi air bases housing U.S. troops.

Pyongyang's Workers' Party paper Rodong Sinmun said Wednesday Iraqi parliament voted to expel U.S. troops, relaying news reported days earlier by outside media.

The Rodong also mentioned the Iraqi prime minister in its statement; Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had publicly said U.S. troops were to stay confined to their base while the United States and Iraq eventually "implement the withdrawal of foreign forces."

"The Iraqi prime minister has called on his parliament in order to convene a special meeting that will clarify his position on the U.S. missile attack on senior Iranian and Iraqi military commanders at an airfield in Baghdad, and to take legitimate countermeasures," the North Korean article read.

The Rodong added Iraqi parliament passed a bill to end the presence of "foreign forces" and banning them from entering Iraqi airspace and territorial waters.

Pyongyang could be closely monitoring the United States following the attack that killed Soleimani, and may be wary of ongoing U.S. surveillance of the Korean Peninsula.

Aviation tracker Aircraft Spot said Wednesday U.S. reconnaissance aircraft Rivet Joint flew 31,000 feet above South Korea, a day after a spy plane flew over the South's Gyeonggi Province, Yonhap reported.

Tensions in the Middle East have raised concerns in Seoul regarding South Korea citizen safety.

U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris suggested in an interview with local network KBS on Wednesday that South Koreans in Iraq should return home, but said the decision is up to the country. Harris said in the interview the United States had issued a similar travel warning for U.S. citizens in the region.

Harris also publicly requested South Korea to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.