U.S. military provoking North Korea

North Korea has strongly condemned the accumulation of United States arms in the region, considering it as an open provocation and a prelude to a regional war.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of North Korea on Monday criticized the U.S. government's decision to increase its military forces in the region, indicating that Pyongyang will strengthen its own defenses "in every way."

The spokesman said that on the 12th the commander from the Pentagon in the South insisted on the need to deploy an additional battalion of attack helicopters and to strengthen the anti-missile system capacity.

He also referred to a meeting between U.S. and South Korean representatives on the 14th to promote an increase in U.S. armed forces in South Korea, and turn this country into a forward base in order to implement the strategy of U.S. domination.

The spokesman said that evidence shows that Washington is hostile to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and aggravates tensions with its incessant military provocations.

U.S. Naval Forces, in Japan and South Korea, have scheduled next June 21 and 22 for a two-day maneuver in waters south of the Korean peninsula, where they develop detection and rescue operations, and maritime  interception operations.

For this exercise, logistical support vessels will be mobilized, helicopters, destroyers and antisubmarine defense, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier "George Washington," based in Yokosuka (Japan), the South Korean Ministry of Defense reported Thursday.

Also, the defense ministry announced that Seoul and Washington conducted joint exercises in the Yellow Sea between the 23rd and 25th of June.

Tensions on the peninsula have been rising, after North Korea launched a rocket (April).  The United States considered the test of ballistic missiles, closely watched, prohibited by United Nations resolutions.

Translated from the Spanish version by:

Lisa Karpova
Pravda.Ru