"The [North] will steadily update and strengthen its nuclear armed forces both in quality and quantity," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a spokesman from the isolated country's Foreign Ministry.
The North's response came shortly after a joint statement last week by foreign ministers of the G7 countries, which urged Pyongyang to "abandon all its nuclear weapons and any other weapons of mass destruction as well as ballistic missile programs in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions."
The ministry condemned, "G7, the U.S.-led nuclear criminal group, should thoroughly abandon its anachronistic ambition for nuclear hegemony," warning that his country will "never tolerate any encroachment upon" its sovereignty and internal affairs.
"G7 which consists of the U.S. and its vassal allies is, indeed, the root cause of the occurrence of global nuclear crisis and its aggravation," it pointed out, adding that "G7 should start the 'complete and irretrievable abandonment of nukes.'"
The ministry also claimed, "The [North's] nuclear armed forces will exist forever as a powerful means of justice which defends the sovereignty of the state, territorial integrity and fundamental interests, prevents a war" on the Korean Peninsula.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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