Pyongyang, March 5 (KCNA) -- Kim Son Gyong, vice-minister for International Organizations of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, issued the following press statement on Saturday:

Recently, the U.S. and south Korea have put the situation in the Korean peninsula on a extremely dangerous level through threatening rhetoric and military demonstration against the DPRK.

They reportedly staged the fourth joint air drill of this year in the sky above the West Sea of Korea on Friday, with the mobilization of such various strategic hardware as B-1B strategic bombers and MQ-9 Reaper combat drone evaluated by themselves as superior.

Earlier, the U.S. and the south Korean military staged a "drill for operating extended deterrence means" under the simulated conditions of using nuclear weapons against the DPRK and issued a press release calling for the "end" of the DPRK's regime.

Even at this moment, the U.S. does not conceal the fact that it is conducting special operation drills aimed at a sudden strike at the major strategic bases of the DPRK in league with south Korea.

The situation in the Korean peninsula and the region is developing towards a very worried orientation, no one wants, owing to such irresponsible acts of the U.S. and south Korea for escalating tension.

What is regrettable is that the UN, which had expressed deep care and concern over the danger of any slight dispute and conflict on the earth, has consistently kept mum about the obvious infringement upon sovereignty and military demonstrations by the U.S. and south Korea talking about even "end" of a sovereign state.

Shortly ago, I expressed deep regret at the fact that the UN secretary general kept mum about the U.S. and south Korea's dreadful military provocation, but took an extremely unfair and imbalanced attitude of insulting the DPRK's self-defensive reaction as "provocation and threat".

The viewpoint and attitude towards the U.S.-south Korea joint drills with clear aggressive nature serve as a touchstone for judging whether he is truly interested in the détente in the Korean peninsula or maintains impartiality, objectivity and equity in the settlement of the issue.

Frequent joint drills of the U.S. and south Korea, which set such unrealistic and extremely dangerous purpose as "regime end" of a sovereign state and are aggravating the regional situation even with all sorts of threatening rhetoric are, indeed, vivid evidence that helps have a clear understanding of why the vicious cycle of tension has lasted in the Korean peninsula.

If they resort, regardless of the time, to threatening rhetoric and military demonstration in the region such as the Korean peninsula where the military confrontation is acute, the regional military and political situation will be only led closer to a very critical and uncontrollable phase.

If necessary, anyone can give a counter-demonstration in the same way, and then the result will be quite clear.

If the UN secretary general is truly interested in ensuring peace and security in the Korean peninsula, Northeast Asia and the rest of the world, he should no longer tolerate the anti-peace deeds of the U.S. and south Korea inciting the reckless stand-off of force and hostile conflict.

The UN and the international community will have to strongly urge the U.S. and south Korea to immediately halt their provocative remarks and joint military exercises that are extremely heating the situation of the Korean peninsula and irresponsibly raising the level of confrontation.

This will be the first step for promoting the sustainable détente in the Korean peninsula and the region, strongly desired by the international community. -0-

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