Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Marshal of the Korean People's Army Ri Pyong Chol, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, made public a tough warning stand through the Korean Central News Agency on April 17 on the fact that the U.S. and its followers are going to forcefully call another open meeting of the UN Security Council to take issue with the DPRK over its measures for bolstering up the military capabilities for self-defence.

His statement on the stand is as follows:

The U.S. and its followers are going to forcefully call another open meeting of the UNSC to take issue with the DPRK over its measures for bolstering up the military capabilities for self-defence.

I strongly denounce the U.S. attempt to pull up the DPRK over the exercise of its deserved right to self-defence, describing it as a "provocation" and "threat", by instigating the UNSC, as an undisguised disregard for the sovereignty of the DPRK and an obvious interference in its internal affairs.

The DPRK's development of new-type strategic weapons is just a legitimate measure for bolstering up the self-defensive capability to defend the DPRK from the ever-increasing military threat by the U.S. and long-term security concerns in the region, deter a war and safeguard the life and future of the peaceable people.

This year the U.S. and the south Korean puppet group of traitors have staged ceaseless large-scale joint military exercises simulating a preemptive nuclear strike and all-out war against the DPRK, spouting such most hostile and aggressive remarks as "occupation of Pyongyang", "beheading operation" and "end of the regime", which admits of no excuse for its clear nature. In June they are going to stage another largest-ever "combined joint fire annihilation drill" in south Korea to drive the situation to the brink of explosion.

The U.S. staged a combined air drill with the south Korean puppet clique on April 13 and 14 with the involvement of nuclear-capable strategic bombers. It is a clear proof that nuclear threat and blackmail against the DPRK have reached a level that can never be overlooked.

It is quite natural for the DPRK to make efforts to have more powerful means of self-defence to cope with the prevailing grave situation and long-term threat. Only then will it be possible to maintain the balance of power and put under control the security situation on the Korean peninsula.

It is a clear expression of double standards and a serious insult to the sovereignty of the DPRK that the UNSC tries to take issue again with the DPRK over the exercise of its legitimate right to self-defence only, failing to express even an iota of concern over the U.S., the chief culprit of the aggravating situation on the Korean peninsula.

If the UNSC is truly interested in ensuring peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, it should call into question the U.S. illegal high-handed and arbitrary practices and all sorts of arms buildup and muscle flexing by it that escalate tensions, on the principle of sovereignty equality, respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs specified in the UN Charter.

The U.S. is still obsessed with overconfidence in its own strength, not aware of the fundamentally changed mechanical structure of the DPRK-U.S. relations.

The U.S. should properly face up to the trend of the times, though belatedly, and stop at once its political and military provocations getting on the nerves of the DPRK.

If the U.S. persists in the acts of endangering the security environment on the Korean peninsula in disregard of the repeated warnings by the DPRK, the latter will take necessary actions to expose the former to a clearer security crisis and insurmountable threats. -0-

www.kcna.kp (Juche112.4.17.)