Pyongyang: North Korea on Thursday reiterated its claim that the 1950-53 Korean War was the result of an invasion by the United States under a "well-crafted script," while highlighting its resolve to confront South Korea and the U.S.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's most widely read newspaper, issued the claim in an editorial commemorating the 76th anniversary of the Korean War. The publication stated that in the early hours of June 25, 1950, the South Korean puppet army launched an armed invasion against North Korea, forcing the North to engage in a defensive war for 1,129 days due to "warmongering" by U.S. imperialists.

The newspaper also denied the legitimacy of the participation of U.N. forces in the Korean War, despite the U.N. Security Council's adoption of a resolution calling on member states to assist South Korea's war effort. In a separate front-page editorial, the Rodong Sinmun urged North Korean people to arm themselves with a strong "anti-U.S. struggle spirit," emphasizing the country's determination to fight the U.S. and South Korea.

Historians have repeatedly confirmed that the Korean War broke out when tank-led North Korean troops invaded South Korea. Sixteen nations, including the U.S., fought alongside South Korea under the U.N. flag during the conflict. The North has claimed that the war started with an invasion by the South, calling it the "Fatherland Liberation War" and celebrating July 27, the day the country and the United Nations Command signed a truce that ended the war, as Victory Day.