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North Korea condemns the US strategy to combat weapons of mass destruction

Oct 04, 2023

Pyongyang [North Korea], October 4: Pyongyang has criticized the new US strategy in efforts to combat weapons of mass destruction, as the document describes the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as a "persistent threat".
On September 28, the US Department of Defense released an unclassified version of the document "2023 Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Strategy ", which stated that " North Korea , Iran and violent extremist organizations forces remain a persistent threat as they continue to pursue and further develop WMD-related capabilities."
In a statement published by KCNA news agency on October 4, a spokesman for the North Korean Ministry of Defense accused the US of exacerbating the danger from nuclear weapons. The statement recalled joint exercises between Seoul and Washington as well as the US military sending strategic nuclear submarines to South Korea as proof of Pyongyang's accusations.
"As for 'persistent threat,' that is the most appropriate expression for the United States, the country with the world's largest WMD arsenal and the only criminal nation to have used A-bombs, which has considered North Korea Korea is the 'enemy' and has escalated its nuclear weapons threat like never before, and has threatened North Korea since the last century," the statement said.
The North Korean spokesman also criticized the US military's strategic document for describing China as a "growing challenge" and Russia as an "acute threat".
The spokesman said the North Korean military would counter the US military strategy with "the most overwhelming and sustainable response strategy", recalling that North Korea had just amended its constitution.
According to state media, North Korea last week passed a constitutional amendment to include a policy on nuclear forces, thereby strengthening the force's position. The move took place in the context of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledging to accelerate nuclear weapons production to prevent "provocative actions" by the US.
Responding to this move, the South Korean Ministry of Defense on October 4 warned that North Korea would face the risk of collapse if it tried to use nuclear weapons.
"Our military is equipped with a combined readiness posture between South Korea and the US, and can overwhelmingly respond to any attack from North Korea," Yonhap news agency quoted a statement from the Korean Ministry of Defense. Quoc.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper