North Korea says U.S. drills have pushed situation to ‘extreme red-line’

• North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on 2 Feb that drills by the United States and its allies have pushed the situation to an “extreme red-line” and threaten to turn the peninsula into a “huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone.”
• The statement, carried by state news agency KCNA, said Pyongyang was not interested in dialogue as long as Washington pursues hostile policies.
• “The military and political situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extreme red-line due to the reckless military confrontational maneuvers and hostile acts of the U.S. and its vassal forces,” an unnamed ministry spokesperson said in the statement.
• The statement cited a visit to Seoul this week by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. On 31 Jan Austin and his South Korean counterpart vowed to expand military drills and deploy more “strategic assets,” such as aircraft carriers and long-range bombers, to counter North Korea’s weapons development and prevent a war.
• North Korea will respond to any military moves by the United States, and has strong counteraction strategies, including “the most overwhelming nuclear force” if necessary, the statement added.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-says-us-drills-have-pushed-situation-extreme-red-line-kcna-2023-02-01/