N Korea Ready to Respond to US Threat, Win in Confrontation - Foreign Ministry

TOKYO (Sputnik) — North Korea is a "peaceful state" but it is determined to respond to the US threat with pre-emptive strikes and other methods, North Korean Foreign Ministry officials said on Saturday.

"North Korea is a peaceful socialist state, but it is not afraid of war and does not try to avoid it… North Korea has a strong desire to go to the bitter end, if the United States intends to continue its confrontation policy. The North Korean army has clearly indicated that its countermeasures will include sudden pre-emptive strikes and other methods," the representatives of the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

According to the statement, Pyongyang would respond with "nuclear strikes on nuclear war" and would definitely win in this confrontation.

North Korea carried out a number of missile launches and nuclear tests, with one of the latest constituting a launch of a ballistic missile from Sinpo, South Hamgyong province, in the direction of the Sea of Japan on April 5 and a missile test on Sunday which was unsuccessful, according to South Korean defense officials. The launches are considered to be in violation with the UN Security Council resolution.

In response to the tensions in the region, the United States sent a naval group led by US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to the Korean Peninsula. On April 14, US media reported that US President Donald Trump might order a strike against North Korea should Pyongyang decide to carry out another nuclear weapon test.