Present there were reporters of China, UK, France, U.S., Japan and other countries and relevant officials.

The permanent representative said that to dismantle the illegal and ghost-like "UN Command" is a prerequisite to defusing tensions and ensuring peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region.

Explaining why the DPRK is again underlining the need to dismantle the "UN Command", he said:

First, it is because the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula is increasing for the reason related to the structure of the "UN Command".

Looking back and analyzing the situation that prevailed on the peninsula in March and April, we reached at an important conclusion that the Command is a major factor creating the danger of war.

If the U.S. stages joint military exercises in August, the Korean Peninsula will again plunge into an unpredictable catastrophic phase.

The DPRK once again strongly calls for the dismantlement of the "UN Command" with July 27, the 60th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement, as a momentum.

Second, it is because the "UN Command" is inciting military confrontation among big powers in the Asia-Pacific region.

The U.S. forces in south Korea, the main forces of the "UN Command", have already been granted "strategic flexibility" which enables them to intervene in other regions in the event of crisis, and the U.S. is attempting to turn the "UN Command" into a multi-national coalition body with operational function in order to keep hold on south Korea militarily even after the transfer of the right to command the wartime operation.

Those concerned with the operations of member states of the "UN Command" have already been well versed in combined operations under the U.S. command through joint military exercises.

Third, it is because the dismantlement of the "UN Command" is an action step which can prove that the U.S. has no hostility toward the DPRK as always claimed by it.

The dismantlement of the "UN Command" is an issue which can be easily settled if the U.S. has determination.

To look back on the past, resolution No. 84 which was illegally adopted at the UN Security Council on July 7, 1950 says the "Combined Forces Command", not the "UN Command", shall be formed, and entrusted the U.S. with the right to command the "Combined Forces Command".

If the U.S. makes a bold decision on dismantling the "UN Command", the DPRK will respond to this and this will help build confidence between the two countries.

The DPRK will closely follow the future action of the U.S.

The permanent representative stressed that if the UN member nations truly want peace on the Korean Peninsula and are to keep the authority and fairness of the UN, they should express due support to the DPRK's efforts to dismantle the "UN Command" and establish peace mechanism.