N. Korea vows to strengthen defenses "in every way"

June 18, 2012 - 11:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - North Korea accused the United States Monday, June 18 of building up military forces in the region and vowed to strengthen its own defenses "in every way", AFP reports.

The comments came one day after the communist state said it would bolster its nuclear deterrent in the face of what it called U.S. antagonism.

Tensions on the peninsula have been high in recent months, following repeated threats by Pyongyang against Seoul and the North's failed long-range rocket launch in April.

A spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said Monday the U.S. "arms buildup" is an "open provocation" to Pyongyang and a prelude to a regional war.

The spokesman's comments on the official news agency cited the disclosure last week that U.S. forces based in the South are seeking more attack helicopters and stronger missile defense systems. The spokesman also mentioned a naval exercise involving South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, which will be held Thursday and Friday south of the peninsula.

South Korean and U.S. naval forces, including a U.S. aircraft carrier, will also hold maneuvers in the Yellow Sea for three days starting Saturday.

The North also blasted last Thursday's meeting in Washington between the U.S. and South Korean defense and foreign ministers. It said their aim was to discuss "making South Korea an advance base for the implementation of the U.S. strategy for domination over Asia".

Seoul said the ministers had agreed there would be "a very decisive response" to any fresh provocation from Pyongyang.

There is also speculation the North will conduct another nuclear test following United Nations censure of its rocket launch, although Pyongyang has said it has no plans at present to do so.

The North said the U.S. arms buildup "is a prelude to a regional war targeting not only the DPRK (North Korea) but also several Northeast Asian countries..." The North would "increase its self-defense capabilities in every way to protect sovereignty and dignity of the country and nation".