DPRK denounces U.S. for nuclear arms buildup in Asia Pacific

Source: Xinhua   2016-08-17 23:39:33

PYONGYANG, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday slammed the United States for causing a nuclear arms buildup in the Asia Pacific.

A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry denounced the United States in a statement for dispatching strategic bombers like the B-1B and B-2A in early August to the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam for the first time in ten years, according to the state news agency KCNA.

Sending more strategic nuclear bombers to Guam right after the joint decision by Washington and Seoul to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea proves that the "U.S. plan for a preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK has entered a reckless phase of implementation," the statement said.

"Such military moves of the United States are part of its sinister strategy to contain Russia and China in the Asia Pacific and maintain its military hegemony in the region, not just aiming at a surprise preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK," the statement added.

The statement warned that the DPRK, instead of being an on-looker to U.S nuclear threats, will "whet more sharply the treasured sword of nuclear weapons" to defend the sovereignty and security of the country.

On July 8, South Korea and the United States announced the deployment of one THAAD battery in South Korea by the end of next year. Five days later, the deployment site was designated at Seongju county, some 250 km southeast of Seoul.

The decision has triggered widespread criticism and strong opposition in the country and from neighboring countries China and Russia. China has voiced resolute opposition to the THAAD deployment on the grounds that it will harm its security interests and disrupt the region's security balance, while Russia has indicated a military response by deploying a missile unit in the Far Eastern region.

In early August, the DPRK fired two ballistic missiles into eastern waters in an apparent protest against the anti-missile shield.