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Washington and Seoul frustrating Korean North-South dialogue, DPRK paper writes

Rodong Sinmun paper called the military parade staged in Seoul and visited by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel a "confrontational farce"

Photo AP/LEE JUN-MAN

Photo AP/LEE JUN-MAN

PYONGYANG, October 3 (Itar-Tass) - Inter-Korean relations are getting exacerbated again due to the provocative policy of Washington and Seoul which "are frustrating the dialogue between (Korean) North and South, heightening tension on the Korean Peninsula," the DPRK's central newspaper Rodong Sinmun said Thursday in a commentary.

The military parade - held in Seoul on Tuesday in the presence of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on the 65th anniversary of the formation of South Korean armed forces - was, in the paper's opinion, a manifestation of such policy aimed at enhancing confrontation with compatriots in the North.

During the parade were shown the Hyong-mu-2 and Hyong-mu-3 high-accuracy missile systems, as well as the Israeli Spike missiles, which are designed, according to Rodong Sinmun, "to deliver a preventive strike at the territory of the DPRK". Besides, the South Korean authorities openly expressed a hostile attitude to Pyongyang, "stating readiness to take military countermeasures against the North," the article points out.

"The confrontational farce, staged in South Korea," the Rodong Sinmun stresses, "proves once again that the policy of Washington and Seoul is aimed at frustrating the dialogue between the North and South and at exacerbating tension on the Korean Peninsula".

Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea, who attended the parade, stated that the creation of a powerful anti-missile defense of the South and of possibilities for a pre-emptive strike would make it possible to deter threats on the part of the DPRK. She emphasized that it was essential to create a powerful deterrent force against the North until Pyongyang abandons its nuclear programs.

The parade involved 11,000 servicemen, 190 types of military hardware, as well as 120 aircraft and helicopters.

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