N. Korea renews vow to bolster nuclear arsenal

SEOUL, North Korea on Saturday renewed its pledge to bolster its nuclear arsenal, claiming its own nuclear deterrence would ensure balance of power in the region.

The North's foreign ministry also criticized the United States for leading to the collapse of international arms control systems.

"Nuclear deterrence ensures a balance of power in the region and a strong physical security to prevent the outbreak of a new war," the North's ministry said in a commentary.

North Korea claimed that unilateral arms buildup of the U.S. and its allies is increasing the risk of armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

The North's statement came as South Korea and the U.S. announced they will carry out joint military exercises this month to strengthen the allies' defensive posture.

The joint drill, called Freedom Shield exercise, is scheduled to take place from March 13-23 without a break, marking the longest-ever edition of their joint computer-simulation command post exercise.

It is to proceed concurrently with the new large-scale field training exercise, called "Warrior Shield," in line with the allies' push to reinforce training programs and enhance their "realism."

Source: Yonhap News Agency

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