Recently, the U.S. and the ROK are staging serious military provocations aiming at the DPRK one after another, adding a danger variable to the unstable security environment on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

The U.S. and the ROK staged "Ssangmae" joint air drill in the Wonju air base on January 21-24 under the pretext of increasing the capability for cooperation between the two sides in air operations.

Earlier, the hostile forces staged a joint great firing drill aimed at "early eradication" of the long-range artillery fire system of the DPRK on January 14-16 and the U.S. Department of Defense made public a decision on mass sale of weapons to the ROK on January 22.

After beginning this year with the start of the U.S.-Japan-ROK three-party joint air drill by mobilizing strategic bombers, the U.S. and the ROK are staging various war drills targeting the DPRK every day. This is a grave challenge to ensuring peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

The DPRK Foreign Ministry is closely watching the military provocations of the U.S. and the ROK escalating the tension on the Korean peninsula and seriously warns them that such moves will entail a reflective counteraction.

The security environment on the Korean peninsula and in the region is becoming ever more critical because the U.S. seeks the advantage of strength through the ceaseless expansion of the military alliance system and the enforcement of joint military drills of various kinds.

The reality stresses that the DPRK should counter the U.S. with the toughest counteraction from A to Z as long as it refuses the sovereignty and security interests of the DPRK and this is the best option for dealing with the U.S.

The DPRK will not permit the imbalance of strength imposed by the military nexus between the U.S. and the ROK and take the toughest counteraction to defend the sovereign right and security interests of the state and thoroughly ensure peace and stability in the region.

The U.S. and the ROK will never evade the responsibility for the aggravation of the regional situation to be entailed by the enhanced regular visibility of their military nexus and provocations.