Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova [TASS]
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova [TASS]

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has identified joint US-South Korea military exercises as a cause of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and said North Korea's efforts to bolster its military capabilities are justified.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Zakharova made the remarks Tuesday (local time) in response to media questions about what was described as a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, particularly near the demilitarized zone. "Unfortunately, the situation on the Korean Peninsula shows no signs of stabilizing — on the contrary, it continues to deteriorate," she said.

"The current signs of instability are emerging amid large-scale military exercises being conducted by the United States and South Korea near North Korea's borders," Zakharova said. "These drills are clearly provocative in nature and, as the participating countries themselves acknowledge, are aimed at practicing preemptive strikes against North Korea, including the use of nuclear weapons."

Zakharova cited the recently held Iron Mace CPX and Freedom Flag exercise between the two countries, as well as South Korea's Hoguk exercise, and said "the measures Pyongyang takes to strengthen its own security and defense capabilities are entirely lawful and legitimate."

Zakharova also directed a message at South Korea, saying it "should immediately halt dangerous military drills and provocations in the demilitarized zone, rather than seeking pretexts to condemn North Korea and issuing declaratory calls for peace."


mokiya@heraldcorp.com