AFP, SEOUL (AFP) Dec 02, 2003-North Korea said Tuesday plans to beef up Russia's military would benefit world peace and act as a check on a hegemonic United States.
Last month President Vladimir Putin said Russia would boost its nuclear weapons arsenal and could resort to pre-emptive strikes because Washington had already adopted the same policy.
“Nobody can criticize Russia for opting to increase its national defence capability, especially its strategic armed forces,” said Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's ruling Workers Party newspaper.
It said Washington was pursuing a new military confrontation and had listed Russia as a target for nuclear attack.
North Korea, former Cold War ally of Russia, said Moscow's descision to build up its strategic arsenal was “a very just one” needed to contain Wshington's hegemonic and unilateral policies.
“This is in line with the desire and interests of the Russian people and helpful to ensuring global peace and security,” the newspaper said in a dispatch carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
It said that Russia's military attache in Pyongyang has called a press conference on November 20 to discuss Russia's defense policies.
