North Korean Foreign Ministry announces buildup of nuclear potential

The foreign policy department of the DPRK's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned that the republic is building up its nuclear potential to increase its readiness for war, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCTAK), Report informs referring to Fakti.bg.

The department's official statement, titled "We will respond to any choice by hostile powers with stronger countermeasures,", said: "The escalation of the nuclear threat and the coordination of provocative nuclear preparedness by one side underscore the need for the other to build up its nuclear deterrent and be fully prepared to engage in nuclear war."

The report was released in connection with the US Iron Mace exercise, a simulated nuclear operation in response to a nuclear attack by North Korea. The military exercise was conducted by the US and South Korea from July 30 to August 1 at a US military base in South Korea.

The exercise was part of a nuclear planning advisory group formed after the US-South Korea summit in Washington on April 26, the agency said.