A Foreign Ministry statement warned that the 10-day maneuvers are a “dangerous madness” capable of creating a borderline situation on the Korean Peninsula and stressed that, in response, it will mobilize its strategic deterrent.

It recalled that, as part of Freedom Shield, Washington and Seoul will test the so-called OPLAN 2022, consisting of delivering a “preemptive strike” against the DPRK’s nuclear weapons system, bringing their designs for political-military confrontation to a critical point.

The US is trying to perpetuate the vicious circle structure of provocation and worsening of the situation by pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula and around it to an irreversible stage with its incessant military tests under the pretext of security, it said.

The Foreign Ministry warned the enemies that the more it resorts to hostile practices against the existence of the DPRK, the more it will generate a reaction from Pyongyang and achieve a counter-productive result as it will only worsen its own security.

We will multiply responsible efforts to preserve peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region by relying on reliable forces and sustained strengthening of our nuclear armed forces, it stressed.

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