Kathmandu. Kim Yo Jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), challenged to the US for countering it on the principle of power for power and goodwill for goodwill and claimed that decision to steadily build up the capabilities for national defence was justified.
Responding to the US-South Korea joint military exercise, Kim Yo Jong, a popular young leader of the DPRK, issued a vibrant press statement on August 10, and strongly demanded to the US side, “For peace to settle on the peninsula, it is imperative for the US to withdraw its aggression troops and war hardware deployed in south Korea,” and claimed “As long as the US forces stay in south Korea, the root cause for the periodic aggravation of the situation on the Korean peninsula will never vanish.”
The full text of the statement:
Despite the unanimous denunciation and rejection at home and abroad, the U.S. and the south Korean army defiantly launched joint military exercises further accelerating the unstable situation.
The joint military exercises are divided into an “exercise of the staff for crisis control” from August 10 to 13 and a “combined command exercise” from August 16 to 26. They are the most vivid expression of the US hostile policy towards the DPRK, designed to stifle our state by force, and an unwelcome act of self-destruction for which a dear price should be paid as they threaten the safety of our people and further imperil the situation on the Korean peninsula.
The dangerous war exercises pushed ahead by the US and the south Korean side in disregard of our repeated warnings will surely make them face more serious security threat.
Whatever the scale and mode, the joint military exercises are of aggressive nature as they are a war rehearsal and preliminary nuclear war exercise for further rounding off the preparations for putting into practice the operational plan with the pre-emptive strike at us as the gist.
Every March and August, military tension and the danger of conflict flare up on and around the Korean peninsula due to the war frenzy of the US and south Korea.
The U.S. doggedly pushes forward with the aggression war drills at such a sensitive time as now when international focus is on the developments on the peninsula. It is indeed the US which is directly responsible for destroying peace and stability in the region. This also proves that “diplomatic engagement” and “dialogue with no strings attached” touted by the present U.S. administration is nothing more than hypocrisy to cover up its aggressive nature.
The prevailing situation proves once again that we were absolutely correct when we decided to steadily build up the capabilities for national defence.
For peace to settle on the peninsula, it is imperative for the US to first withdraw its aggression troops and war hardware deployed in south Korea.
As long as the US forces stay in south Korea, the root cause for the periodic aggravation of the situation on the Korean peninsula will never be eliminated.
The reality proves that only substantial deterrents, not words, can ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula and that it is a vital requirement for us to build up the force powerful enough to fully contain the external threats to us.
We have already clarified that we will counter the US on the principle of power for power and goodwill for goodwill.
We will put more spur to further increasing the capacity of absolute deterrence to cope with the ever-growing military threats from the US, i.e. the national defence capabilities and powerful pre-emptive strike for rapidly countering any military actions against us.
Availing myself of this opportunity, I would like to express my deep regret at the perfidious act of the south Korean authorities
I issue this press statement upon authorization
Pyongyang, August 10, Juche 110(2021)
