The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued on October 11 the following statement of crucial importance “The trigger will be pulled without hesitation to defend sovereignty and security”:

The ROK is crossing the red line in its provocation against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The most hostile and malicious rogue state, the ROK, committed such a grave political and military provocation as infiltrating drones into Pyongyang, the capital city of the DPRK.

Under cover of the dead of night on October 3rd, 9th and 10th, the ROK committed such a hideous crime as dispatching drones to violate the airspace of the central district of Pyongyang and scatter a huge number of anti-DPRK smear leaflets.

The smear leaflets full of inflammatory rumors and rubbish tarnishing the national sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK and malignantly slandering its socialist system, were scattered over the central district of the capital city.

Not content with scattering leaflets along the border by balloons, the ROK infiltrated even into the sky of the DPRK’s capital such drones which can be regarded as military attack means. This is a serious provocation that can neither be overlooked nor be pardoned.

ROK’s provocation that goes beyond the limit line constitutes an open infringement on the sacred national sovereignty and security of the DPRK, a wanton violation of the international law and a grave military attack, for which the ROK must pay dearly.

The ROK should not resort to its stereotyped lame excuse in explaining away this incident nor try to shirk its responsibility by making far-fetched assertions again.

This incident is a typical instance that vividly betrays the national position of the ROK belonging to the most shameless, childish and vulgar category in the world and meanness of its clans.

It also evidently shows how the danger of armed conflict is being created on the Korean peninsula due to the perilous and adventurous acts of the ROK.

The international community should strongly denounce the bravado of the ROK, which is steadily escalating the danger of military conflict in the region while unhesitatingly committing provocations inviting unmanageable aftermath, and unanimously call for thoroughly deterring them.

International law does not allow free flight of foreign aircraft or flying objects in the territorial airspace of another country, including “harmless flight”.

The intrusion into the airspace this time is a grave crime encroaching upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and a clear target for our exercise of the right to self-defence.

It is the ROK who chose self-destruction. It is hastening its doom.

In the world, there is no country which will not react to the violation of its airspace and the drones of a hostile country flying over its capital.

We regard the recent provocation of the ROK as a serious political and military provocation that deserves due retaliation according to the right to self-defence, without any room or need for further explanation.

The recent adventurous provocation of the enemies urgently requires our army to promptly judge what kind of action measure should be taken to discharge its sovereignty-defending mission granted by the DPRK Constitution and make a decision on launching the relevant retaliatory action.

The Ministry of National Defence, the General Staff and the army at all levels of the DPRK set about the preparations to cope with different scenarios of the developing situation.

First, all the offensive means of the DPRK, to be involved to break down the military structures near the southern border and in the ROK, will get ready to carry out their activities promptly at any moment.

The stand expressed by our head of state some days ago that the DPRK has no intention to attack the ROK, does not mean that we are not ready to attack the ROK.

With the possibility of using all means of attack in readiness, we seriously warn the ROK once again as an ultimatum.

The ROK should immediately stop such irresponsible and dangerous provocation that may cause an armed conflict and lead to a war between the two sides.

If the ROK commits such a provocation as infiltrating a drone into airspace of the DPRK once again, we will not send a second warning, but will launch an action immediately without any warning.

Taking this opportunity, we make it clear once again that the source and cause of all these disasters making the world people uneasy arise from the ROK which has scattered political agitation scum into our inviolable territory despite our repeated warnings.

The ROK, who wantonly violated the inviolable sovereignty of the DPRK, will face a horrible situation if it continues provocations, not bearing in mind even our last warning.

The trigger’s safety device is now unlocked.

The time for our attack is not decided by us.

We will watch everything in full preparedness.

The criminals should no longer gamble with the lives of their people.