Statement by Chief of Foreign News Section of Department of Press and Information of DPRK Foreign Ministry

Pyongyang, August 23 (KCNA) – The chief of the Foreign News Section of the Department of Press and Information of the DPRK Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued a press statement “To definitely keep military balance is prerequisite for peace and stability”, which said:

Amid the ongoing large-scale U.S.-ROK military exercises, Ulji Freedom Shield, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of 36 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and components to the ROK.

Claiming that the sale would improve the ROK’s military capability, the U.S. military clarified a contradictory stand that it would not change the fundamental military balance in the region.

Media and experts are focusing on the future impact on the security situation in the Korean peninsula, estimating that if the sale is fulfilled, attack helicopters will be newly deployed in the ROK and the performance of Apache helicopters, purchased from the U.S. and deployed for operation in 2017, will be improved.

We strongly oppose and reject the U.S. and its vassal forces’ arms buildup posing a grave danger to the regional security environment and escalating the military tension and warn them seriously of the consequences to be entailed by it.

One side’s arms buildup against the other side, whether its scale is large or small, may affect military and political situation in the region.

Amid the ever-escalating political and military tension in the Korean peninsula due to the U.S.-ROK large-scale joint military drills, the U.S. announced the sale of offensive weapons to the ROK. This is a reckless provocative act of deliberately increasing the security instability in the region.

The U.S. is now getting more active in its arms sale to Japan, ROK and other allies in the Asia-Pacific region, and this is a challenge to security in the region that cannot be overlooked.

Last year, too, the U.S. concluded a “security of supply arrangement” with the ROK military aimed at prompt supply of military goods, after deciding to deliver such various kinds of ultra-modern lethal war equipment worth of astronomical amount of money as 25 F-35 stealth fighters, 36 SM-6 fleet-to-air interceptor missiles and 42 AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

It also offered six latest P-8A Poseidon sea-patrol planes to the ROK in June this year and is going to hand over in December the first supplies of 12 new-type MH-60R sea operational helicopters to delivered to the latter.

Besides, it has recently eased its military technology and arms export control on UK and Australia and got more undisguised in the sale of weapons to its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and Taiwan.

The security crises in different parts of the world clearly prove that the U.S. offer of lethal weapons is a key factor in escalating military confrontation and contradiction in the region and disturbing the military balance and thus increasing the danger of a new conflict.

The prevailing situation urgently calls for thoroughly ensuring the military balance in the region by increasing the defence capabilities in every way in direct proportion to security challenge and threats that may result from the U.S. arms sale.

To thoroughly reject and strongly counter the imbalance of strength imposed by the U.S. and its followers is a prerequisite for defending the sovereign interests of our country and ensuring the regional peace and stability.

Since the U.S. is keen on the provision of war hardware and lethal equipment to its allies in the region, the DPRK’s strategic deterrence will be further strengthened to protect the national security and interests and the regional peace.

The DPRK will steadily conduct the necessary military activities for self-defence to control the military imbalance and instability that may be caused by the military moves and delivery of lethal equipment of the hostile forces getting more reckless with passage of time. -0-