DPRK says U.S., ROK must present new solutions for standoff
CGTN

The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) must produce new solutions for the current standoff on the Korean Peninsula, a senior military official from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Monday, warning that hostile policies towards Pyongyang would lead to serious consequences. 

Kim Hyong Ryong, DPRK's Vice Minister of the People's Armed Forces, said at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing that the DPRK has worked to build lasting peace but that the situation has relapsed into a "dangerous, vicious cycle" of exacerbating tensions because of the actions of the U.S. and ROK governments. 

"Though it has been more than one year since the DPRK-U.S. joint statement was adopted, there is no progress in improving bilateral relations between the two countries, completely because of the U.S.' anachronistic, hostile policies against the DPRK," Kim said. 

He also accused the ROK of a "double-dealing attitude" in continuing to carry out military drills with the U.S. and buying advanced military equipment. 

DPRK's Vice Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Hyong Ryong speaks at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, China, October 21, 2019. /Reuters Photo

DPRK's Vice Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Hyong Ryong speaks at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, China, October 21, 2019. /Reuters Photo

"Bearing in mind our firm will to safeguard peace in the region, the United States and the South Korean (ROK) authorities must refrain from any actions disrupting the stability of the situation and come up with a new way for solving the problem," Kim said. 

The DPRK has conducted missile tests in recent months, including that of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, and broke off the latest working-level nuclear talks with the U.S. in early October. 

Pyongyang's top negotiator for the talks blamed the U.S. for the breakdown and said Washington "brought nothing" to the negotiating table. 

Meanwhile, DPRK's official newspaper on Monday accused the U.S. of using sanctions in order to bring disobedient countries to their knees, stressing the country should stand up to such attempts without giving in to pressure. 

"Western powers, including the U.S., are pressuring disobedient countries with sanctions," the Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary. "A step of compromise would lead to ten steps, a hundred steps and eventually a collapse." 

In a separate article, the paper also said that sanctions being sought by Western powers are serving as a major hindrance to global peace and stability, reported Yonhap News Agency. 

"Sanctions draw only resistance and counteraction from those affected countries, without providing any help in solving problems," it said. 

(With inputs from Reuters)