Kim Il-chol, minister of North Korea's People's Armed Forces, yesterday accused the US of hostile policy, calling for bolstering war deterrent for self-defense.

 

"It is a stark reality in North Korea that it can survive without sweets but not without bullets," Kim said on the 53rd anniversary of the Korean War armistice day, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

 

Kim accused the US and Japan of trying to form an alliance against North Korea by UN resolution in a bid to provoke another Korean war of aggression.

 

Kim said the nation's capacity for self-defense guaranteed the country's sovereignty and defended peace.

 

"We will bolster the war deterrent for self-defense in every way by employing all possible means and methods ... due to the US extremely hostile acts and the irresponsibility of the UN Security Council," said Kim.

 

Earlier this month, North Korea test-fired seven missiles, an event that was confirmed by its Foreign Ministry in a statement on July 6.

 

On July 15, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on North Korea's missile tests, urging it to return immediately to the six-party talks without preconditions.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2006)