UNDERWATER TEST-FIRE OF BALLISTIC MISSILE IS LEGITIMATE EXERCISE OF RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENCE: DPRK

Pyongyang, May 20 (KCNA) --The U.S. and Japanese reactionaries, south Korean puppet authorities and other hostile forces every day let loose invectives against the DPRK over its underwater test-fire of ballistic missile from a strategic submarine. In this regard a spokesman for the Policy Department of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK released a statement clarifying the principled stand of the service personnel and people of the DPRK on Wednesday.

It cannot overlook the sinister aim sought by the hostile forces in taking issue with its legitimate measure to bolster up the self-defence capability as a sovereign state and their provocative behaviors, the statement said, and went on:

The DPRK's underwater test-fire is part of the measures to increase the self-defence capability of its army and people, pursuant to the line of simultaneously developing the two fronts and a new higher level in the development of strategic striking means.

It is long since the DPRK's nuclear striking means have entered the stage of producing smaller nukes and diversifying them.

The DPRK has reached the stage of ensuring the highest precision and intelligence and best accuracy of not only medium-and short-range rockets but long-range ones.

It does not hide this.

This is the DPRK's just measure for bolstering up the capability for self-defence and a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty which it can never give up simply because someone brands it as a "provocation" or demands a "stop" to it.

Now that the U.S. and all other undesirable hostile forces kowtowing to it are persistently "threatening" and "blackmailing" the DPRK and stepping up overtly and covertly their brigandish moves to invade it and "bring down its social system", its service personnel and people all out in the drive for defending the security of the country and dignity of the nation will more dynamically push ahead at increasing speed with the plan for bolstering up the defence capability, undeterred by the moves.

They should no longer dare pull upthe DPRK over all its measures for bolstering up its military muscle for self-defence, terming them "provocation" and "threat."Page 2 of 3

It is the stand of the DPRK not to allow the U.S. and its allies to brand the former's above-said test-fire as a "provocation" and "threat" to regional peace, pursuant to the "resolution" of the UNSC.

This is because the UNSC was reduced to the one that yields to the high-handed and arbitrary practices of the U.S., forgetful of its mission to ensure the global peace and security and its duty prescribed in the UN Charter, and the one which has abandoned itself the principles of respect for sovereignty of other countries and non-interference in their internal affairs after dropping the principle of impartiality.

The U.S. and the Japanese reactionaries, the sworn enemies of the Korean people, the south Korean puppet forces and all other dishonest forces should not forget even a moment that the powerful strike means of the DPRK to defend the dignity and sovereignty of the nation fromthe reckless moves of the aggressors keen to intrude into its inviolable territory, waters and sky and "bring down its social system" have been placed on alert to hit any target not only from their front and flanks but from any place in their rear.