N. Korea’s focus on military expansion will only hasten its downfall: FM Cho

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday blasted North Korea for prioritizing its military expansion, warning that such an approach will only hasten the regime's collapse. Cho made the remarks as tensions have heightened on the Korean Peninsula after the North blew up cross-border roads, seen as a move to sever ties with the South, and leveled harsh rhetoric against Seoul over the alleged flights of drones over Pyongyang. "North Korea must clearly realize that concentrating solely on expanding its military power, such as nuclear weapons and missiles, while turning a blind eye on the suffering of its own people, is a fast track to its downfall," Cho said at a business event in Seoul. "We will sternly respond to any provocations from the North, as we strongly deter them based on the staunch South Korea-U.S. alliance," Cho said. The chill in inter-Korean relations, exacerbated by the North's commitment to cutting off ties with the South, leaves little room for the government to seek dialogue with Pyongyang at this stage, Cho said. "While seeking new momentum, halting provocations and pursuing dialogue is the right path forward," he said. Cho deplored the North's explosion of the roads earlier this week as "regressive steps" that erase inter-Korean history, adding that South Korea will continue to make efforts toward unification despite Pyongyang's moves. On relations with Russia, Cho reiterated that the future of the bilateral ties will depend on Moscow's actions, and that the government will make every effort to protect South Korean nationals and businesses in Russia, and maintain ties with Russia in a stable manner. Source: Yonhap News Agency