North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as making the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a ceremony held to mark the Navy Day.
"Owing to the reckless confrontational moves of the US and other hostile forces, the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been reduced into the world's biggest war hardware concentration spot, [and] the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war," North Korea's leader said.
Kim was apparently referring to the US deployment of some of its most advanced weaponry, including nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines, to the peninsula either as part of agreements with its regional allies, Japan and South Korea or under the guise of conducting joint military drills.
The North Korean leader also pointed to an August 18 summit at Camp David, Maryland, among the leaders of the three allied states.
He said the "gang bosses" of the United States, Japan and South Korea have announced their plan to hold regular joint military exercises during the meeting.
The KCNA, in a commentary back then, said the meeting was aimed at formulating a "nuclear war provocation," despite claims by the allies that they were seeking to project unity against China’s growing power and what they called Pyongyang’s nuclear threats.
The North views all military drills conducted by Washington and its regional allies as rehearsals for the invasion of its territory.
Kim also said North Korea requires its Navy to maintain war readiness in the form of "constant combat alertness," and also needs to "radically" modernize its weapons and equipment.
"He stressed that the navy of the DPRK would become a component of the state nuclear deterrence carrying out the strategic duty," the KCNA reported, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
MNA/PR
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