North Korea said on Saturday that its nuclear weapons maintain the balance of power in the region, and Pyongyang accused the United States of being responsible for the collapse of international arms control systems.
North Korea's foreign ministry said Pyongyang's nuclear weapons are "a just response to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," adding that the peninsula "is the world's largest fuel barrel and war field due to the military expansion policy led by the United States and its followers."
The ministry said - in a comment published by the official news agency in North Korea - that the United States, South Korea and Japan "exceed the limits of danger and that cannot be tolerated," criticizing the joint military exercises that South Korea and the states intend to organize this month.
The newspaper "Chosun Shinbo" - issued by a pro-North Korean organization - in Japan and the mouthpiece of Pyongyang said today, Saturday, that the "Shield of Freedom" exercise is a "rehearsal for the invasion of North Korea."
The newspaper added that such frequent military exercises pose military threats, "which is precisely the reason why North Korea seeks to enhance its self-defense capabilities."
Joint maneuvers
South Korea and the United States announced on Friday that they intend to start a joint military exercise later this month, as they strive to bolster deterrence against North Korea's advanced nuclear and missile threats.
And the South Korean Yonhap News Agency stated that the "Freedom Shield" exercise is scheduled to take place between March 13 and 23 without a break, which is the longest version ever of the computer-simulated joint command center exercise, according to the chiefs of joint staff in South Korea and the US forces present. in Seoul.
North Korea has been subject to strict international sanctions for years because of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and US, European and Chinese intelligence say that North Korea has between 20 and 60 usable nuclear warheads, according to the US news site VOX.
According to US intelligence as well, it is assumed that North Korea is now able to install a nuclear warhead on its intercontinental missiles, which can reach the US west coast, in addition to Hawaii and the US base "Guam" in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska.