Alexandr Matsegora, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was interviewed by the Russian Ria Novisti News Agency on May 24.

He clarified the Russian stand toward the emergency anti-epidemic measures and measures for strengthening the defence capability taken by the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government, the present situation of the Korean peninsula, the inter-Korean relations and different other issues.

He said no corona virus cases have been reported in the DPRK as yet, and continued: The prevalence of the omicron variant virus between May and August last year was successfully overcome thanks to the great efforts of the state.

At present, many restrictions have been lifted. Schools and universities have resumed their classes, mass cultural and sports events been held and parks, museums and libraries opened their doors. However, the regulations of disinfection and taking one's temperature and the mask-wearing system in all public places are still maintained.

Many countries of the world have resumed the contact on a remarkable level after the prevalence of the pandemics but in the DPRK restrictions are still kept.

The DPRK does not merely connect the complicated pandemics spread in the world with corona virus alone but defines the "global health crisis" as a wider conception. That is why it does not hurry to open its borders but takes it most important to protect the people from another dangerous diseases.

Unlike other countries, the DPRK directly clarifies without hesitation that the cause of all problems worldwide lies in the United States trying to keep unipolar world order and completely overpower Russia and other countries resisting it. The DPRK does not allow the arbitrariness of the United States but enforces a very independent foreign policy.

Russia understands and supports the stand of Pyongyang toward the situation of the Korean peninsula. Recently, the situation of the Korean peninsula has been aggravated due to the hostile policy of Washington. The United States is deploying strategic offensive weapons in the southern part of the peninsula and continuously staging military exercises with south Korea. Clear is the purpose of such military action. In other words, it is aimed at removing the leadership of the DPRK, occupying the territory of the Republic and toppling its political system. Accordingly, the DPRK had to take measures for self-defence, strengthen its potentialities for defence and make full preparations to cope with the enemy's dangerous aggression.

The people of the DPRK have no intention to attack the United States, Japan and south Korea, occupy those countries and change their political systems. Therefore, the main source of uneasiness and concern is the hostile line of Washington which has been invariably enforced for dozens of years.

Anyone must admit the remarkable successes made by the munitions industry of Korea in recent 10 years. The DPRK has made a progress in developing its missile program and strengthening its military muscle.

Concerning the inter-Korean relations, the result of the US visit of the south Korean "President" triggers off a bitter indignation in Korea and it is regarded as an attempt to reach an agreement on the plan to attack the DPRK including the plan on the use of nukes. Russia, as a neighbouring country of Korea, truly hopes that the north and the south of Korea would solve all the problems independently, without foreign interference and on the principle of national unity, the Russian ambassador added.