calendar>>September 24. 2014 Juche 103

Rodong Sinmun Slams U.S. Far-fetched Assertion to Justify U.S. Permanent Presence in S. Korea

Pyongyang, September 24 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and south Korean warlike forces at their recent talks mainly discussed the issue of extending the transfer of wartime operation control (OPECON) well beyond 2020 though it had been scheduled for next year. Explaining the reason for the extension, the U.S. claims that south Korea is not capable of coping with the escalating "nuclear and missile threat" from the DPRK.

Rodong Sinmun Wednesday observes in a commentary in this regard:

This is nothing but a U.S. cunning and despicable trick to perpetuate its troops' presence in south Korea under the pretext of "threat" from the DPRK,

The U.S. is making a far-fetched assertion to justify its forces' permanent presence in south Korea.

There is no justification for the U.S. troops to stay in south Korea any longer at present.

However, shutting its eyes to this stark reality, the U.S. desperately seeks its forces' permanent presence in south Korea, pulling up the DPRK. It is its view that this serves the purpose of its strategy for dominating the world by force of arms.

The U.S. calculates that its troops in south Korea will play a main role in keeping its military strategic edge in Northeast Asia. That is why the U.S. leaves no means untried to perpetuate its forces' presence in south Korea. Precisely for this reason it cites "threat" from the DPRK in a bid to justify their presence and is becoming talkative about extension of OPECON.

It admits of no argument that the U.S. troops in south Korea are the root cause of disturbing peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of Northeast Asia and bringing the dark clouds of a war to hang over Korea.