The North Korean government on Wednesday accused the United States and South Korea of planning a nuclear attack, accusing them of “fostering military confrontation” in a statement issued via state news agency Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

Responding to news that a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier would participate in October’s U.S. – ROK naval exercises, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said that its attempt to realize peace between the Koreas faced a “grave challenge” and said the two allies were creating a “war hysteria”.

The response argued that the U.S.-ROK strategy “calls for stifling the DPRK by mobilizing all military forces