Press Statement by Minister of National Defence of DPRK

Press Statement by Minister of National

Defence of DPRK

Pyongyang, August 11 (KCNA) — No Kwang Chol, minister of National
Defence of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on Sunday issued a
press statement titled "It is the absolute mission of the armed forces of the
Republic to defend its security interests from hostile threats of the U.S. and
the ROK", which said:
The U.S. and the ROK military warmongers officially announced that the
large-scale joint military exercises Ulji Freedom Shield will start from August
18.
The enemies do not conceal the fact that a new manual and methods of
modern warfare targeting regional countries as well as the DPRK will be
applied to the joint military exercises to be staged throughout the whole
realms with the mobilization of the U.S. overseas troops, including the
expedition of the U.S. Marine Corps, and even the troops from member states
of the "UN Command".
We strongly denounce the U.S. and the ROK for their provocative moves of
clearly showing the stand of military confrontation with the DPRK and making
another serious challenge to the security environment on the Korean
peninsula and in the region and solemnly warn them of the negative
consequences to be entailed by them.
The Ulji Freedom Shield to be staged under the simulated conditions of a real
nuclear war is not only a direct military provocation against the DPRK but also
a real threat to amplify the unpredictability of the situation on the Korean
peninsula in the state of armistice and freeze the instability of the regional
situation.
The unilateral military threat and confrontation attempt perpetrated by the U.S.
and the ROK under the pretext of containing "threat" from someone are the
main reason why the situation on the Korean peninsula and in its surrounding
region is changing negatively day by day.
The military demonstration against the DPRK will certainly have a boomerang
effect of plunging the security of the U.S. and the ROK into a less safe
situation.

From the point of view of power, it is the absolute mission of the armed forces
of the DPRK to contain offensive movements of the enemy states, counter
their military provocations and defend the security of the state and the peace
of the region.
The armed forces of the DPRK will cope with the war drills of the U.S. and the
ROK with thoroughgoing and resolute counteraction posture and strictly
exercise the sovereign right of the DPRK at the level of the right to self-
defence in a case of any provocation going beyond the boundary line. -0-