North Korea has sharply condemned the United States following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, with Kim Jong Un calling Maduro a “friend” and warning that the action could push the world toward global war. Kim demanded that the U.S. immediately disclose Maduro’s status and release him, warning of serious international consequences if it does not. Amid rising tensions, North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into its eastern waters, triggering heightened alerts from South Korea, the United States, and Japan. Russia also denounced the U.S. move as armed aggression against Venezuela, accusing Washington of acting out of ideological hostility rather than diplomacy and warning of escalating international confrontation