DPRK Is Fully Ready for Dialogue and War: FM Spokesman

Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK in a statement Monday denounced the U.S. and south Korea for starting the provocative Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises defying repeated warnings of the DPRK and neighboring countries. The big exercises for aggression against the DPRK are escalating the tensions in and around the Korean Peninsula beyond a danger line, the statement said, and went on:

Involved in the drills are U.S. troops present in south Korea and huge reinforcements from the U.S. mainland and the Pacific region along with offensive means. South Korea has already been put on a wartime posture, fanning up hysteria for war against the DPRK.

The warmongering drills have been scheduled at a time when the hard-won DPRK-U.S. talks were under way reflecting the unanimous desire of the Korean people and countries around Korea for the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula. Herein lie the brigandish arrogance and sinister attempt of the U.S.

After publishing a new defense strategy in January which envisaged giving priority to Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. has extensively increased the number and intensity of the joint military exercises in south Korea. This clearly proves that the main target of the new strategy is the DPRK and countries around it.

The U.S. strategic attempt is not only to stifle the DPRK but to put its neighboring countries under military siege and contain them in a bid to realize its wild ambition for world domination which faced serious challenge.

It seems that the U.S. thinks it can exploit the DPRK for carrying out its strategy for reinforcing military forces in Northeast Asia under the pretext of the situation of the Korean Peninsula. This is an insult to the DPRK.

The reckless war drills targeting the army and people of the DPRK, who are in the mourning period, amount to a grave provocation.

War has never been notified in advance.

The DPRK has long kept to the road of Songun in anticipation of the situation as now. It would be a mistake if one tries to rattle or test the DPRK by force.

The DPRK is fully ready for both dialogue and war.

The U.S. would be well advised to be aware that it would be left with no space for holding military exercises on the Korean Peninsula if it provokes the DPRK in an unlawful manner. -0-