North Korea: US Drills Amount to ‘Declaration of War’

By Staff, Agencies

North Korea has warned that it will soon consider US military action near its borders as a “declaration of war,” issuing a harsh response after American diplomats pressed the United Nations to condemn recent weapons tests by the DPRK.

Senior Foreign Ministry Official Kwon Jeong-geun, who oversees US affairs, issued a statement on Friday to “strongly protest” a UN Security Council meeting held earlier this week, where Washington proposed a measure to denounce Pyongyang’s latest ballistic missile launches.

Such a move would be a “clear violation of our state's right to self-defense,” Kwon said, adding “If the UN Security Council sincerely intends to contribute to ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, it will have to condemn acts that escalate military tension, such as the deployment of strategic assets and large-scale joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.”

The official went on to say those actions have largely been “ignored” by the international community, warning of “strong countermeasures” should North Korea’s concerns continue to go unheeded.

At the UN meeting on Monday, US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield scolded the Security Council for its alleged “lack of action” in response to North Korean arms tests, calling it “dangerous” and “worse than shameful.” She pressured the body to adopt a formal ‘presidential statement’ – which does not amount to a legally-binding resolution – to condemn missile launches carried out on Saturday and Monday.