Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry Slams Ulji Freedom Guardian

Pyongyang, August 17 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK Wednesday issued the following statement denouncing the U.S. and the south Korean authorities for kicking off the Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises:

The United States and the south Korean authorities kicked off extremely provocative and aggressive Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises targeted against the DPRK despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK.

This saber-rattling started by the U.S. in collusion with the south Korean authorities is maneuvers for a nuclear war against the DPRK which brought to light their invariable hostile aim to stifle it by force of arms.

This is entailing such adverse consequences as vitiating the atmosphere of dialogue created with much effort in reflection of the unanimous desire and wishes of the people at home and abroad for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and straining the situation.

The U.S. is staging exercises for a war of aggression against its dialogue partner while putting up signboard of dialogue. This incoherent behavior on the part of the U.S. is only adding to the skepticism about whether it is sincere towards dialogue or not.

It is preposterous for the U.S. to urge the DPRK to refrain from bolstering its nuclear deterrent, while whetting its swords for a war of aggression behind the scene of dialogue.

It is very ill-boding that the U.S. let "a special action unit" participate in the on-going joint military exercises as it is one tasked to detect and destroy nuclear weapons of the DPRK.

The prevailing situation goes to prove that the U.S. is not set to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations but seize an opportunity to deprive it of nuclear deterrent by a brigandish method.

It is self-evident that the DPRK should put spurs to bolstering its nuclear deterrent for self-defence both in quality and quantity to cope with this situation.

Invariable is the stand of the DPRK to preserve peace and denuclearize the peninsula through dialogue and negotiations.

No attempt on the part of the U.S. to do harm to the DPRK by force of arms can go with dialogue. This will only face the mode of merciless counteraction of Korean-style. -0-