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North Korea Asking For Neighbors’ Help to Avert ‘Nuclear Holocaust’

North Korea Asking For Neighbors’ Help to Avert ‘Nuclear Holocaust’
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North Korea is seeking support from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to prevent a potential "nuclear holocaust," as US President Donald Trump warns of the possibility of a "major conflict" in the Korean Peninsula if diplomacy fails.

North Korea Asking For Neighbors’ Help to Avert ‘Nuclear Holocaust’

Washington's actions and rhetoric are pushing the region to the "brink of war," North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho wrote in a letter to ASEAN's chief Le Luong Minh from Vietnam.

"As you know, due to the annual war games in South Korea conducted by the United States and South Korea, the situation in the Korean Peninsula is out of control," the letter, seen by AFP and dated April 23 reads.

"It is a fact clear to everyone that when they deploy the means of nuclear strike that can drive the Korean Peninsula into a nuclear holocaust in just seconds... the nature of such exercises can in no way be defensive."

Pyongyang penned the letter just ahead of the 30th ASEAN Summit taking place in Manila on April 26-28 in which it also justified its effort to develop its own nuclear arsenal as the only means of a deterrent against the United States.

North Korea's chief diplomat urged the ASEAN chief to inform the 10-nation organization's foreign ministers "about the grave situation" and to develop a "proper proposal" on how to preserve peace on the Peninsula.

"I express my expectations that ASEAN which attaches great importance to the regional peace and stability will make an issue of the US-South Korean joint military exercises at ASEAN conferences from the fair position and play an active role in safeguarding the peace and safety of Korean Peninsula," Ri Yong-ho wrote.

This is not the first time that Pyongyang has sent a letter to the 10-member regional body of which North Korea is not a member.

The official North Korean news agency, KCNA, reported that its foreign ministry sent a dispatch to the ASEAN Secretariat on April 4, in which they also addressed the issue of the war games being conducted by the US and South Korea.

The North Korean plea to ASEAN comes amid escalating tensions in the region. Just this week, the South Korean and US militaries held a combined firing drill in Pocheon featuring dozens of tanks and fighter jets.

The military exercises came only a day after North Korea held its own firing maneuvers in Wonsan.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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