North Korean state media sharply criticized the commander of U.S. forces in South Korea on Wednesday over his recent description of the South as a “dagger” aimed at China, accusing Washington of reviving Cold War-era confrontation.

In a commentary published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), international affairs analyst Kim Myong Chol said U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Xavier T. Brunson’s remarks reflected the longstanding strategic thinking of successive U.S. administrations that have sought to use South Korea as a geopolitical tool to contain China.

“The U.S. has occupied the ROK and used it as a military springboard