SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea’s foreign ministry called on the United Nations to demand an immediate halt to joint military drills between Seoul and Washington, state media reported today.
North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong said in a statement released by the official Central News Agency that the US-South Korea drills and rhetoric had pushed tensions to an “extremely dangerous level”.
“It is necessary for the United Nations and the international community to strongly urge the United States and South Korea to immediately stop provocative rhetoric and joint military exercises,” he said.
Seoul and Washington announced on the 3rd that a large-scale military exercise will be held for more than 10 days from March 13 to 23.
The United States and South Korea say the drills are defensive in nature, but Pyongyang sees them as an exercise for invasion.
Kim Sun-kyung warns that the “irresponsible actions” of the United States and South Korea will only bring the situation in the region “into an extremely critical and uncontrollable stage”.
North Korea on Friday accused Washington of causing the collapse of the international arms control regime and said Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons were the “most reliable way” to ensure the balance of power in the region.

Rfi