N. Korean media says nuke arsenal only aimed at U.S.

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's state run media said Saturday that the country's nuclear arsenal is only aimed at the United States and suggestions that it will be used to reunify the Korean Peninsula by force are a ploy to disrupt efforts to improve cross-border relations.

In a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and picked up in Seoul, the North said recent remarks by heads of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DIA), the Central Intelligence Agency and commander of the United States Pacific Command, about Pyongyang's supposed goal of trying to conquer South Korea are nothing more than sophistry.

DIA chief Dan Coats and a growing number of top administration officials have voiced concerns that the real purpose of North Korean nukes is to allow Pyongyang to reunify the peninsula under the northern flag.

KCNA said the comments by U.S. officials come as the two Koreas are moving to drastically improve bilateral relations and claimed Washington is trying to fuel anti-North Korean sentiments in South Korea and use the development as an excuse to build up arms that can be employed to invade the communist country.

The KCNA then argued that its nuclear weapons are meant to safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and should be viewed as a joint national asset for all Koreans. It said that the North's nuclear weapons are not aimed at the South in any way and that it makes no sense to pay such a dear price to build up intercontinental ballistic missiles to subdue the South that is such a short distance away.

It said such thinking merits nothing more than derision and laughter.

The commentary said that the sole purpose of the country's nuclear capability is to deter U.S. aggression and to send a message that all of the United States will be subject to ruthless nuclear retaliation if the country tries to provoke the North.

It warned that it would be best for Washington to wisely reassess and give up its hostile policy stance towards the North.
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