SEOUL: North Korea鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that drills by the United States and its allies have pushed the situation to an 鈥渆xtreme red-line鈥� and threaten to turn the peninsula into a 鈥渉uge war arsenal and a more critical war zone.鈥�
The statement, carried by state news agency KCNA, said Pyongyang was not interested in dialogue as long as Washington pursues hostile policies.
鈥淭he military and political situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extreme red-line due to the reckless military confrontational maneuvers and hostile acts of the US and its vassal forces,鈥� an unnamed ministry spokesperson said in the statement.
In Washington, the White House rejected the North Korean statement and reiterated a willingness to meet with North Korean diplomats 鈥渁t a time and place convenient for them.鈥�
鈥淲e have made clear we have no hostile intent toward the DPRK and seek serious and sustained diplomacy to address the full range of issues of concern to both countries and the region,鈥� said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.
The North Korean statement cited a visit to Seoul this week by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. On Tuesday Austin and his South Korean counterpart vowed to expand military drills and deploy more 鈥渟trategic assets,鈥� such as aircraft carriers and long-range bombers, to counter North Korea鈥檚 weapons development and prevent a war.
鈥淭his is a vivid expression of the US dangerous scenario which will result in turning the Korean peninsula into a huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone,鈥� the North Korean statement said.
North Korea will respond to any military moves by the United States, and has strong counteraction strategies, including 鈥渢he most overwhelming nuclear force鈥� if necessary, the statement added.
More than 28,500 American troops are based in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
鈥淲e reject the notion that our joint exercises with partners in the region serve as any sort of provocation. These are routine exercises fully consistent with past practice,鈥� the White House statement said.
Last year, North Korea conducted a record number of ballistic missile tests, which are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions. It was also observed reopening its shuttered nuclear weapons test site, raising expectations of a nuclear test for the first time since 2017.
In New York, South Korea鈥檚 foreign minister, Park Jin, met with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday and called for the UN鈥檚 continued attention to North Korea鈥檚 recent provocations and efforts to implement sanctions on the reclusive regime.
Guterres said any resumption of nuclear testing by North Korea would deal a devastating blow to regional and international security, and reaffirmed support to build lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, according to Park鈥檚 office.
Park is on a four-day trip to the United States, which will include a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Friday.
On Wednesday the United States and South Korea carried out a joint air drill with American B-1B heavy bombers and F-22 stealth fighters, as well as F-35 jets from both countries, according to South Korea鈥檚 Defense Ministry.
鈥淭he combined air drills this time show the US鈥� will and capabilities to provide strong and credible extended deterrence against North Korea鈥檚 nuclear and missile threats,鈥� the Defense Ministry said in a statement.