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North Korea's Foreign Ministry said Pyongyang should maintain "the toughest countermeasures" against the US in response to Washington's recent military exercises with South Korea.
"The reality emphasizes that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should counterattack the US with the toughest countermeasures from A to Z as long as it denies the sovereignty and security interests of the DPRK and this is the best option to deal with the US," the statement said.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the country's Foreign Ministry made the above statements while blaming recent joint military exercises between South Korea and the US for harming the country.
In its statement, the agency referred to the four-day joint air exercise between Seoul and Washington conducted at an air base in Wonju, South Korea last week, as well as another three-way joint air exercise during the same period that also involved Japan. North Korea called this a "serious challenge" to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The agency warned that such moves would result in counter-reactions to protect the state's sovereign rights and security interests as well as comprehensively ensure peace and stability in the region.
The comments also came just days after US President Donald Trump expressed his intention to continue communicating with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In another related move, on the morning of January 26, KCNA reported that the day before, the country's Rocket General Department conducted a test of a guided strategic cruise weapon launched from the sea (underwater) to the mainland.
The test is part of the national defense capability building plan to enhance strategic control against potential enemies, in line with the volatile security situation in the region.
According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of the weapon system. He was accompanied by General Kim Jong Sik, member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), and General Jang Chang Ha, director of the General Rocket Force Bureau of the DPRK.
KCNA confirmed that "the strategic cruise missiles hit the target after flying in elliptical and figure-8 trajectories over a distance of 1,500 km for 7,507-7,511 seconds". North Korea affirmed that the test "did not cause any negative impact on the security of neighboring countries".
KCNA quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying that "the war deterrence means of the Korean Armed Forces are being further perfected in a comprehensive manner."
He declared that North Korea "will always make its utmost efforts in a responsible manner to fulfill its important mission and duty of defending lasting and stable peace and stability on the basis of further developing its military power in the future."
